This article shares practical tips from the SBS Audio podcast Head Above Water, hosted by comedians Suren Jayemanne and Sashi Perera.
This episode features Olympic champion Ian Thorpe and Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra where they talk about their personal experiences with swimming, water safety, and how communities can build confidence around water. Their stories highlight the challenges migrants face and the practical steps that make a difference.
- How to feel comfortable in the water?
- How can early experiences create a fear of water?
- Can swimming strengthen family connections?
- Why is learning to swim such an important skill?
- What advice does Ian Thorpe give to beginners?
- How to improve water confidence?
- Why should you never swim alone?
- What other safety rules should new migrants follow?
- How do community swim programs support migrants?
How to feel comfortable in the water?
For Suren Jayemanne, the idea of swimming lessons was never exciting. He recalls how asthma made breathing difficult, and body image made him shy about change rooms and showers. These feelings combined to create a fear of water that followed him into adulthood.
Suren’s story is not unusual. Many migrants avoid swimming lessons in childhood, either because of health reasons, cultural distance from water, or lack of exposure. Over time, this avoidance builds into a cycle—because you don’t swim, the water feels unsafe, and because it feels unsafe, you avoid it even more.
How can early experiences create a fear of water?
Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra grew up near the Ganges River in India. As a child, he slipped under the surface and almost drowned. That moment left him with a vivid memory: the fear, the shivering, the feeling of being powerless. For years afterwards, he avoided water whenever possible.
Even when he moved to Australia, being near beaches and pools was uncomfortable. Holidays felt incomplete because he and his family could not join in the swimming activities that surrounded them. His story shows how a single early incident can shape attitudes towards water for a lifetime.
Can swimming strengthen family connections?
Harpreet also shares how his daughter encouraged him to change his relationship with water. For her, swimming was fun and brought the family together. She enjoyed the chance to connect with her parents away from the usual distractions of work and devices.
Through these family moments, Harpreet discovered that swimming could be more than survival—it could be about bonding, joy, and shared experience.
For many migrants, pools and beaches can become spaces not only for safety but also for community and family connection.
Why is learning to swim such an important skill?
Ian Thorpe is a legendary Australian swimmer known as "Thorpedo," who’s famous for his Olympic success, including nine medals (five gold) and multiple world records, and for becoming the youngest-ever world champion at 15 years old. He says that swimming is a skill you never forget, like riding a bike. But unlike cycling, swimming can literally save your life.
Thorpe reflects on how, surprisingly, his father never learned to swim. It meant missing out on family activities in the surf and feeling constantly at risk around water. This story highlights why swimming is not simply about recreation—it’s about belonging and safety in a country where water is everywhere.
Victory for Ian Thorpe of Australia in the Men's 200m Freestyle Finals, setting a new Olympic Record time of 1:44.71 during the Athens 2004 Olympics Games at the Olympic Aquatic Centre in Athens Greece on August 16, 2004. (Photo by Chris Ivin/Getty Images) Credit: Chris Ivin/Getty Images
What advice does Ian Thorpe give to beginners?
Thorpe encourages beginners not to compare themselves with others, especially with children who often seem to pick up swimming quickly. Everyone has to start at the beginning.
He recommends three practical steps:
- Find a place where you feel safe—like the shallow end of a pool.
- Relax your body—don’t tense up or shiver as if the water is too cold. A relaxed body floats more easily.
- Swim with a friend—never swim alone, as having a companion makes the experience safer and more enjoyable.
For migrants who feel uncertain, these small, achievable steps provide a path to greater confidence.
Female coach in water giving a group of children a swimming lesson in an indoor pool. Source: iStockphoto / monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images
How to improve water confidence?
Thorpe explains that tension is one of the biggest barriers in the pool. People often tighten up as soon as they step into the water. Ironically, this makes floating and swimming harder.
By learning to relax, spread the body across the surface, and let the water carry you, beginners can feel supported instead of overwhelmed. Relaxation is not just a physical skill but also a mindset that helps reduce fear.
Why should you never swim alone?
Harpreet is clear about his number one rule: never go into the water by yourself. Whether it’s at a pool or at the beach, having someone nearby is the most important layer of safety.
This advice comes from his own experience and from working with migrant communities. Many new swimmers overestimate their skills or underestimate the water. Having a companion provides reassurance and a safety net.
What other water safety rules should you follow?
Harpreet emphasises that you cannot defeat the water. Respecting its force is essential. He shares several key points:
- Never swim while drunk.
- Follow the guidance of the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.
- Treat water safety as part of responsible tourism, especially for international students who may not be familiar with local conditions.
For new arrivals, these rules are not restrictions but tools for enjoying water safely and confidently.
Adult swimming class. The group are listening to instructor. Credit: FG Trade/Getty Images
How do community swim programs support migrants?
Harpreet leads swim programs designed for beginners, many of them women. These programs focus on building skills gradually, starting with floating and basic movements. There is no pressure to perform—just encouragement to keep learning.
Around 70 to 75 per cent of participants are women. Many say the experience has given them not just swimming ability but also confidence and empowerment. Even after the 10-week program ends, participants are motivated to continue swimming because they feel a new sense of control over their lives and bodies.
Final thoughts
From Suren’s story of avoidance to Harpreet’s journey of overcoming fear, and from Thorpe’s simple tips to the impact of community programs, one theme runs through it all: learning to swim changes lives.
For new migrants, water safety is not only about survival. It is about connection—to family, to community, and to the Australian way of life. With patience, practice, and respect for the water, migrants can replace fear with confidence and fully embrace Australia’s rich water culture.
Useful Resources:
- Swim and Survive - Find a swim school
- Public Pool Safety - Royal Life Saving Australia
Credits
Executive Producer: Kellie Riordan
Supervising Producer: Vanessa Wiltshire
Producer: Liam Riordan
Sound recordist: Sean Holden
Sound designer: Ryan Pemberton
Production Manager: Ann Chesterman
Artwork by Tonia Composto (The Illustration Room)
SBS Commissioning Editors: Janine Googan, Roza Germian and Maram Ismail
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.
