it is sobering to see that we have the 8th highest drowning toll in the OECD - almost double the Australian rate and five times the UK rate. 80% of drownings in Aotearoa are preventable.
Aotearoa has a sector-wide water safety strategy in place with ambitious goals, "...seeking to halve the male drowning toll and bring the pre-school drowning toll down to zero by 2020." (New Zealand Water Safety Strategy 2020, Aug 2015). Canon has decided water safety is a good fit to lend any attention he gets while doing this project (and beyond) towards forwarding the 2020 goals:
- Every New Zealander has the opportunity to develop water safety knowledge and survival skills.
- New Zealand communities take the lead to promote the safe enjoyment of local water.
- Males improve their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to take personal responsibility for water safety.
- Parents improve their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to take personal responsibility for supervising preschool children around water.
The strategy is a partnership including:
- Accident Compensation Corporation
- Coastguard New Zealand
- Coastguard Boating Education
- Maritime New Zealand
- New Zealand Recreational Association
- Surf Life Saving New Zealand
- Water Safety New Zealand.
C's job is to get physically and mentally fit enough to cross Raukawa Moana and hopefully return as possibly the youngest person to do the double crossing. He is also required to: diarise or journal his progress; write and deliver a 10 minute speech (of very high caliber) to the community in September; and create a static display that explains his project to anyone passing by to view it. Speeches are held over a single day in September this year at the Lower Hutt Little Theater, with displays in the foyer. In addition to the journal, he can also produce a level 2, 3 or 4 research paper.
Canon also needs to put himself forward to promote the goals of his supporters. Thank you to Andy Blake from Canoe & Kayak in Wellington for lending his kayak to Canon to cross in. He also needs some better gear, some safety equipment, and the hardest thing - to have someone with a big enough boat and the flexibility to cross with him on the day. As in, a support boat.
We have been in contact with many of the organisations above and am excited about the possibility Canon will be able to partner in some way to raise water safety awareness in Aotearoa, and to harness networks to help him do so.
If you can help or offer advice, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us.
Warm regards, Tina (C's Mum).
Ref: New Zealand Water Safety Sector Strategy 2020 (August 2015). DOWNLOAD