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We hope to educate & highlight the importance of being "water & beach safety aware” by providing access to basic & essential information and drowning prevention awareness through our campaign “CatchMyDrift”. We aim to be proactive in changing attitudes and behaviour around this social issue to contribute to the prevention of future water related accidents or fatalities from happening in our local communities. We hope to raise essential awareness by engaging in innovative actions, activities and events that take a very proactive approach in contributing to tackling a very preventable problem so that our aquatic environments can be enjoyed with confidence and safety.
Our Social Issue
Project Name: Catch My Drift Our chosen TY YSI issue of social concern is that of a lack of education and awareness around the area of essential water safety and drowning prevention awareness in our school and local communities. Both global and national research demonstrates that the nature of our beaches and oceans are changing, resulting in a significant increase in the number of drownings over the past 10 years. Drowning is an extremely tragic and premature loss of life but it is a social issue that is preventable with adequate and accessible education.
Why We Chose It
Water and Beach Safety Awareness is a very present social issue that does not always receive the coverage it deserves. In the summer of 2022, Kerry experienced three tragic water related accidental deaths in the space of two months which shocked two small community areas-Kilorglin and Ballybunion.One was a boating accident and the other was a swimming accident which was a result of one person trying to rescue the other. Drowning is a preventable social issue that can be tackled with correct education and vigilant awareness. This was the spark that ignited our unanimous passion and interest in the topic.
Our Goal
We hope to educate & highlight the importance of being "water & beach safety aware” by providing access to basic & essential information & drowning prevention awareness through our campaign “CatchMyDrift”. We aim to be proactive in changing attitudes &behaviour around this social issue to contribute to the prevention of future water related accidents or fatalities from happening in our local communities. We hope to raise essential awareness by engaging in innovative actions, activities and events that take a very proactive approach in contributing to tackling a very preventable problem so that our aquatic environments can be enjoyed with confidence.
Our Innovative Action
We set up social media accounts on Instagram & TikTok to make connections, spread awareness for our campaign to reach different audiences and showcase our project. Created a visual display including facts to educate people on water/beach safety information, facts, statistics and research. We update this display regularly, sharing progress/future plans. An information stall for open day to meet/inform the public about what our project aims to achieve. We conducted a survey. We fundraised for RNLI &Water Safety Ireland. We are currently collaborating with the Tralee Lions Club on their “message in a bottle” initiative.
Our Impact
We believe we have impacted people to make water safety a part of conversations with their family and friends by communicating important water safety messages. Through our initiative, actions and events, we hope that anyone who engages with us leaves our presence more informed, more aware and confident in the knowledge of knowing how to act and what to do if they find themselves in an emergency situation at inland and coastal waterways. We have raised over €450 euro for the RNLI & Water Safety Ireland to essential services that help save lives and protect our communities.