Dreams Take Flight thanks to Coalcliff SLSC

Coalcliff Surf Life Saving Club took out two categories at the Surf Life Saving Illawarra Awards of Excellence in June 2021, writes Jenelle McWilliam

Community Program of the Year: Dreams take Flight

Coalcliff Surf Lifesaving Club has been awarded the Community Program of the Year award for an outstanding new initiative called “Dreams take Flight”. The program is the brain child of Coalcliff Club Captain Rob Deacon, who is also a PDHPE teacher at the Lawrence Hargrave School for disadvantaged youth in Warwick Farm. The school represents a last chance for young people who have struggled to achieve success in their previous schooling, often due to diagnosed emotional disorders, learning disabilities and challenging family environments.

The Dreams take Flight program was conceived to better prepare these young people for life beyond school through the completion of a Surf Life Saving award, giving them the opportunity to develop valuable skills such as communication, leadership, team work, increased physical fitness, resilience and self-discipline. In addition, it aimed to create beach-safety awareness among the students and in turn then spread the message of surf safety with their peers. The win-win program will also see these young people become active patrolling members of Coalcliff SLSC, and make a direct contribution to the well-being of the community.

Training was completed at Coalcliff under the club’s Chief Training Officer Dave Winner, while theory training was provided back at school by Rob Deacon. Whilst the challenging backgrounds of these students and the fact that the program was organised during Covid-19 meant that trainers needed to adapt techniques, many students achieved their qualification through the hard work, dedication and the support of both school and surf lifesaving members. It is worth noting that these awards were issued without any reduction in standards, and a few students who dropped out of the program part way through learned a valuable lesson in dedication and focus by seeing their peers achieve the award.

As a sign of how much the program means to those who persevered, one student literally jumped for joy when he successfully negotiated a large wave to shore, another slept in his new patrol uniform, whilst one teacher who also gained his SRC, posted photos for his UK family to see his graduation to ‘real Aussie!’

The impact of the programme was profound. For a school that is attempting to rebuild broken lives, develop young people who live positive engaged and active lives and who make a positive contribution to their community, there is no greater success than this. As a result, a new model of surf education has been established to meet the needs of this challenging cohort, which will be implemented again in future seasons as we welcome more schools to participate.

When asked about the highlight of the program, Rob Deacon said: “Watching the relationship between the students, teachers and Dave grow. Dave being such an amazing educator, he rose to the occasion. It’s hard enough getting these kids to come to school, let alone train for their SRC.”

Club president Leo Stevens said: “The pride on the faces of the participants as they finished their run-swim-run was a sight to behold, and one that really underlines the inclusive spirit that is at the heart of what makes Coalcliff special.”

Facilitator of The Year: Dave Winner

Dave Winner is a stalwart of Coalcliff SLSC. Since gaining his own Bronze Medallion in 1980, Dave has been Illawarra Surf Lifesaver of the Year, NSW Patrol Captain of the Year, and inducted as a life member of both Coalcliff SLSC and SLS Illawarra. This year he was recognised with another accolade, the NSW Facilitator of the Year, recognising not only his contributions this season, but the many years of dedication he has shown to training and education. Dave has been the club’s Chief Training Officer for over 21 years, personally training generations of lifesavers in the Northern Illawarra.

He has always been passionate and practical about surf lifesaving training and development and has taken an innovative approach to facilitating high quality learning outcomes. He is a gifted educator who has a reputation for strongly promoting education and training with the Club and the Illawarra SLS more broadly. He is generous and inclusive in sharing his deep knowledge and skills with his students. He promotes and lives out the Coalcliff culture which is open, friendly, supportive, team-based and maintains high operating standards. Dave has facilitated initiatives in the education and training area during in the 2020/21 season including:

* Surf Lifesaving Dreams Take Flight, Inspire, Retain, Engage Program

* CPR RPL – for Stanwell Park

* Support and mentored Peter Cugaly for Training Officers Award.

* Bronze medallions and SRC

Importantly, Dave also achieved this despite the disruptive impact of Covid-19, and personally developed the club’s Covid Safe plan.

(Read how the community is rallying around to help Dave after his recent accident.)

These two Awards – Community Program and Facilitator of The Year – are now in the running for SLS NSW Awards of Excellence. We wish both the best of luck.

Coalcliff SLSC would also like to congratulate Matthew Logan, who was a finalist for Junior Surf Lifesaver of the Year and Junior Volunteer of the Year at the Illawarra Awards of Excellence.