Learning to swim can be a daunting task for many, and for new migrants, who sometimes have little experience around the water, language and culture can be added barriers. But one aquatic centre has embarked on a project to employ refugees as lifeguards and swim teachers to encourage the community to learn water safety.
Eisha Yawarish has always loved the water. He spent his teenage years in Syria at the local pool. But when the war broke out, that was no longer an option. In 2015, his family fled to Australia.
A qualified a lifeguard and swim teacher, Eisha encourages other migrants and their children to enjoy the water.
His training was part of a joint initiative by the Cumberland Council, in Sydney's west, and a string of local organisations. They include the Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre in Lidcombe, Bankstown Senior College and STARTTS, an acronym for the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors.
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