A Message from Mrs Julie Shaw, Head of Social Impact
Year 11 students teach Aboriginal children from remote Milingimbi Island to swim.
The College’s partnership with Milingimbi School in NE Arnhem Land, facilitated by the Yadha Muru Foundation, is creating a profound and lasting impact on students from both communities. Through this unique partnership the two schools are working together to decrease the disparity between urban and remote education, while fostering cultural understanding, mutual respect, and genuine connection.
During the holidays, several Year 11 students and staff travelled to Darwin to deliver the Swimming in Schools program, in collaboration with the Northern Territory Royal Life Saving Society.
Swimming is an essential life skill for all Australian children, yet in remote communities like Milingimbi, there are significant barriers – from limited access to safe swimming facilities, to the dangers of open water. The City Country partnership aims to teach Milingimbi children to develop vital water safety knowledge and confidence while strengthening cultural ties between the two communities.
Congratulations are extended to Year 11 students, Katherine, Phoebe and Sara, who are qualified swim instructors along with Learn to Swim teachers who facilitated an excellent learning experience for the Milingimbi children; we are optimistic this program will be sustained into the future.
When reflecting on their experience in Darwin, Katherine, Phoebe, and Sara said:
“For so many of us, swimming feels second nature – but for the Mili children, swimming lessons are something completely new. Seeing how much they have grown in confidence and improved their skills in a few days has been incredible. It shows how powerful programs like this can be. We would love to be part of something like this again in the future. We have loved teaching the children leaning their language and about the Yolngu culture. Manymuk djama djamarrkuli!”
To learn more about the YMF City Country Program follow this link. For more information about Pymble’s Swim Instructor training program please contact Kate Johnstone – kjohnstone@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au
