Community partners

Helping us drive down risk

The purpose of Water Safety New Zealand's community funding is to invest in community-led interventions that tackle the drivers of drowning in Aotearoa. By investing in this way, we aim to have a positive impact on the drowning rate and to build community capability across the country.

In 2025/26 there are two funding priorities, shaped by data-driven evidence. We have limited resources and in 2025/26 focus on two priority areas – better educating young people and support for those at greatest risk of drowning.

Drowning risk in Aotearoa isn’t the same everywhere. The highest risks are seen where there is both high exposure to water-related activities and low levels of water safety knowledge or training.

Read WSNZ's funding priorities

Building community capability

Water Safety NZ’s community partners provide well-designed interventions with strong local support and a cost-effective approach. Funding is targeted to:
• High-Risk Communities
• High-Risk Environments
• High-Risk Activities

Kia Maanu Kia Ora l Stay Afloat, Stay Alive

Supporting communities most at risk of drowning.

Community partners deliver programmes that support inter-generational learning and closing access gaps in underserved regions.

Targeted interventions using Kia Maanu Kia Ora l Stay Afloat, Stay Alive funding are predominantly in the North Island. The focus is on communities with a long history of disproportionate drowning risk, especially in coastal areas. The 14 intervention programmes concentrate on kai gathering activities such as diving, free diving, snorkelling, shellfish gathering, and rock fishing, engaging Māori and Asian males aged 35–54.

Water Skills for Life community partners

Lifting the water survival competence of young New Zealanders

Building knowledge and skills in tamariki and whānau creates communities who know how to enjoy the water safely.

Investment in 2025/26 supports 17 high-impact interventions nationwide. Funding includes a deliberate shift towards delivering water survival education in real-world environments such as beaches and open water.

Funding supports communities most at risk — specifically tamariki attending schools with an Equity Index (EQI) of 446 or higher, where their whānau face financial or accessibility barriers to water safety education.

Water Skills for Life fosters sustainable capability within schools and communities, ensuring tamariki are better prepared to stay safe around water. Education is delivered through a balance of instructor-led lessons and kaiako-led (teachers) in school pool-based delivery in resource-limited schools.

Kia Maanu Kia Ora l Stay Afloat, Stay Alive funded providers 2025/26

Drowning Prevention Auckland

Asian Males kai gathering + water survival skills. Drowning prevention initiatives for Aucklanders of Asian descent.

Auckland

Drowning Prevention Auckland - Ethnic Water Safety Ambassadors Project

Asian Males kai gathering + water survival skills. Drowning prevention initiatives for Aucklanders of Asian descent.

Auckland

Aotearoa Dive

Dive safety programme + SSI Stress & Rescue Diver course. Māori males kai gathering.

Bay of Plenty

Wairoa Community Centre - CLM

Māori males kai gathering. Te Mana o Te Moana - Kura Taiao Program.

Hawke's Bay

Tangata o te Wai Dive Trust

Water Safety Wānanga Series – Ruku Papaku, Ruku Tūhura, Ruku Hōhonu. Māori males kai gathering.

Hawkes Bay

CulturED Retreat Limited

The Hokianga Kaimoana Gatherers Water Safety Programme. Māori kai gathering & water survival community engagement.

Northland

Moana Futures Ltd

Mana Moana Tiaki. Our Mana Moana + Kairuku Scuba Dive Programme. Māori males kai gathering.

Northland

Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust

Māori males’ kai gathering.

Northland / Wellington

Te Hou Ora Whanau Services - trading as Dive Otago

Ruku Kai Programme - He Mauri te Wai, He Mauri te Tangata. Māori males kai gathering.

Otago

Ngati Porou Surf Lifesaving Club

Kia Maanu, Kia Ora Programme (Karakia a Paikea) - Māori kai gathering & water survival community engagement.

Tairawhiti

Te Ripo Tapui Ltd

Waiora Moana – safe seas, safe whānau, māori and asian males’ kai gathering.

Waikato

Aotearoa Water Patrol

Wai-tai, Wai-rua. Māori kai gathering & water survival community engagement.

Waikato, Waiarapa, Hawkes Bay

Splash Gordons Ltd

Kaimoana freedive safety and kaimoana scuba safety.

Wellington

Water Skills for Life funded providers 2025/26

Aktive

Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Auckland

John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams

WSFL Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Auckland

Aquatic Survival Skills

Combo of instructor led + Kaiako led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Bay of Plenty

Christchurch City Council

WSFL Instructor Led and Kaiako-led in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Canterbury

Waimakariri WSFL

Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Canterbury

Sport Hawkes Bay

WSFL Kaiako-led delivery in school pools, building sustainable water safety capability.

Hawkes Bay

Sport Northland

Kaiako-led WSFL delivery in school pools, building sustainable water safety capability.

Northland

SwimMagic – Community Leisure Management

Combo of instructor led + Kaiako Led

Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Tasman, Hawke’s Bay

Surf Life Saving New Zealand

WSFL delivery at beaches/open water, teaching survival skills in real-world conditions.

Northland, Bay of Plenty

Sport Otago

WSFL Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Otago

Dash Swim School

Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Porirua

Active Southland

WSFL instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Southland

Swim for Life Tairawhiti

WSFL Instructor-led, in-water WSFL delivery focused on building tamariki survival skills.

Tairawhiti

Te Ripo Tapui Ltd

WSFL delivery at rivers/open water, teaching survival skills in real-world conditions.

Waikato

Youthtown Incorporated

WSFL delivery at rivers/open water, teaching survival skills in real-world conditions.

Waikato

Nuku Ora

Kaiako-led WSFL delivery in school pools, building sustainable water safety capability.

Wellington

Thanks to Partner Support

This funding is possible thanks to Sport New Zealand, ACC, and the Lotteries Grants Board extending their support for another year.