Irish Water Safety
Best Practice Seminar Preview | Gran Canaria | 25 April 2026
Dear Delegates,
Our team has had the privilege of leading national drowning-prevention programmes, award-winning public-awareness campaigns (including our multi-year partnership with Liam Neeson), and the successful integration of water-safety education into Ireland's Primary Curriculum Framework.
As you scroll below, you will find resources that will give you a preview of what I will be discussing. I am confident this, in turn, will allow for a deeper conversation between us for the purpose of formulating an action plan that can only save lives.
As a part of this team for over 20 years I am deeply honoured to be invited by the International Life Saving Federation (ILSE) to share Ireland's proven journey at the Best Practice Seminar on 25 April 2026 in Gran Canaria. What Ireland achieved in a single school year – moving from national policy to mandatory classroom delivery – is now available for Gran Canaria to adopt immediately.
The children of the Canary Islands deserve the same protection. I look forward to meeting you and showing exactly how we can turn policy into practice together.
Warm regards,
Roger Sweeney
Deputy CEO & Marketing Manager
Water Safety Ireland
Water Safety Education in Action
Below you will see how Ireland's WISE programme is delivered in classrooms — no pool, no specialist equipment, just engaging, life-saving lessons that every teacher can deliver.
  • Classroom-ready lessons
  • No specialist training required
  • Proven results in one school year
Water Safety Education at Schools
From Policy Vision to Classroom Reality
Gran Canaria – ILSE Best Practice Seminar | 25 April 2026
Roger Sweeney, Deputy CEO & Marketing Manager, Water Safety Ireland
Today's Journey
20+ years leading national drowning-prevention programmes | Liam Neeson Partnership | Ireland Primary Curriculum Integration
The Crisis in Gran Canaria
Understanding the urgent drowning statistics facing the Canary Islands today.
Ireland's Proven Model
How Water Safety Ireland achieved mandatory curriculum integration in one school year.
The Three-Step Roadmap
A clear, actionable path from seminar to classroom delivery for Gran Canaria.
Partnership & Call to Action
How every person in this room can drive change starting today.
Seminar Objectives
These three goals — drawn directly from the ILSE seminar brief — guide everything we explore together. By the end of this session, every attendee should leave ready to act.
1
Build Confidence in Curriculum Change
Demonstrate that official school curricula can be reformed through meaningful collaboration between educators, administrators, and public safety bodies.
2
Empower Teachers With Realistic Tools
Show scalable, practical ways to develop teacher qualifications, lesson content, and classroom materials — without overwhelming existing timetables.
3
Turn Classrooms Into Safety Spaces
No pool required. Every standard classroom can become a powerful water-safety training environment using the WISE lesson framework.
The Crisis
The Urgent Need: Gran Canaria 2024–2025
Child drowning fatalities in the Canary Islands reached their highest level in over a decade in 2025. These are not abstract numbers — these are children from classrooms just like ours. Gran Canaria 2025: 18 total drownings — 2nd highest after Tenerife.
Canary Islands: 2024 → 2025
2025 Child Breakdown (19 Minors)
Key causes: Invisible drowning in pools and water parks, brief supervision lapses, and a false sense of safety. Every child death is preventable with classroom education.
The Crisis
The Scale of the Problem
471
Spain Drowning Deaths
In 2024 — second deadliest year in a decade
54
Canary Islands Deaths
Jan–Oct 2025 — nearly one death every six days
47
Minors Lost in Spain
Children under 18 in 2024 — up to 12% of all deaths
+18%
Rising in 2026
Canary Islands deaths already rising Jan–Feb 2026 vs. same period 2025
"These are not numbers — these are children, parents, grandparents, and tourists. Lives ended in seconds because no one taught them the simple rules that could have saved them."
— Water Safety Ireland, 2026
The Crisis
The World Health Organisation Agrees
"Teaching school-age children basic swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills is a proven, recommended intervention."
— WHO Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention, 2024
68%
Drop in European Drowning Deaths
In the WHO European Region between 2000–2021, driven by national policy commitments
50%
Under Age 29
Approximately half of all 300,000 annual global drowning deaths are people under age 29

WHO explicitly recommends school-based water safety education as a national policy priority. Ireland has already implemented it. Gran Canaria can follow. Source: who.int
Ireland's Model
Water Safety Ireland's WISE Success Story
WISE — Water Insight, Safety & Education — is Water Safety Ireland's award-winning primary school programme. Designed for classroom delivery, it requires no swimming pool, no specialist equipment, and no lengthy teacher retraining. The programme consists of 8 fun, age-appropriate lessons proven to raise awareness and change children's behaviour around water — starting from age 5.
🏆 Award-Winning
Recognised internationally for innovation in drowning prevention education
👧 Ages 5–12
Differentiated content covering the full primary school age range
📚 8 Core Lessons
Each lesson is self-contained, printable, and classroom-ready
🌍 Freely Adaptable
Endorsed internationally and adaptable for any island, region, or country
Ireland's Model
The 8 Classroom-Ready WISE Lessons
Age-appropriate, no-pool-required curriculum — each lesson is self-contained, printable, and fits a standard 45-minute class period.
1
Bringing Water Safety Home
Identify hazards at home: bathtub, sink, garden water features. Role-play scenarios.
2
Fresh Water
Lakes, rivers & canals. Cold-water shock, hidden currents, murky visibility. "Spot the Risk" game.
3
Coastal Water
Rip currents, beach flags, tidal shifts. Safety-sign design project. Especially critical for Gran Canaria.
4
Cities & Towns
Storm drains, fountains, flooded streets. "Safe City" poster project.
5
Planning Trips & Preventing Disasters
Holiday safety planning. Supervised vs unsupervised zones. Trip Planning challenge.
6
Water Safety Heroes
"Shout, Don't Go In" principle. Emergency response without self-endangerment.
7
Following a Rescue
Steps after calling for help. Basic first aid. Fully dry rescue simulation.
8
Safety in Action
Consolidate all 8 principles. Mini Film Day or class presentation to share with parents.
Ireland's Model
How to Deliver WISE Effectively in Any Classroom
No specialist facilities needed. These practical steps can be implemented from day one.
45-Minute Weekly Slot
Each lesson fits within a standard class period and integrates naturally into existing timetables — no curriculum disruption required.
No Special Equipment
Use printed lesson covers, everyday classroom props, and discussion cards. Everything arrives in a free downloadable pack.
Group Work + Discussion
Peer discussion and collaborative activities generate the highest engagement and deepest retention — especially for ages 5–12.
Differentiated by Age (5–12)
Activities and language are scaffolded across lower primary (5–7), middle (8–10), and upper primary (11–12) age bands.
Fun Assessment Methods
End-of-lesson quizzes, "I Promise" safety pledges, and illustrated activity sheets replace formal testing with meaningful commitments.
National Curriculum Aligned
All lessons reference the 2023 Primary Curriculum Framework, making cross-subject integration straightforward for coordinators and inspectors.
Ireland's Model
Teacher Qualifications & Scalable Materials
A train-the-trainer model means one school champion can drive island-wide change — starting this term.
📥 Free Lesson Packs
All 8 lessons as print-ready PDFs with teacher notes, activity sheets, and assessment tools.
🖼️ Display Posters
Full-colour A3 classroom posters for each lesson — ready to display and reinforce learning between sessions.
💬 Ongoing Support
Access to the WISE teacher community, shared resources, and an annually updated material library.

Ireland's achievement: Mandatory water-safety in all primary and special schools — achieved in ONE school year. Every child leaves equipped: flags, hazards, rescue awareness, CPR basics.
Ireland's Model
Ireland's Proven Success: 2023–2024
From Government Commitment to Full Classroom Delivery
✓ Mandatory water-safety in all primary and special schools — achieved in ONE school year
✓ 8 classroom-ready WISE lessons — no pool or extra funding required
✓ Every child leaves equipped: flags, hazards, rescue awareness, CPR basics
✓ Measurable fall in drowning rates among school-age children
The Roadmap
The Three-Step Path Gran Canaria Can Follow
Water Safety Ireland provides full support at zero cost for the first two years — from ministerial briefing packs to teacher training modules and culturally adapted lesson content for Gran Canaria's coastal, tourist environment.
The Roadmap
Why Gran Canaria Can Move Faster Than Ireland
Ireland's Journey
Awareness campaigns → Policy advocacy → Curriculum negotiation → Delivery 2023–24
Years of groundwork before a single lesson reached a classroom.
Gran Canaria's Shortcut
ILSE Seminar (April 2026) → WSI Partnership → Ministerial adoption → Classroom delivery 2026–27
What took Ireland years can take Gran Canaria months. The curriculum is built. The evidence is proven. The only step remaining is the decision.
Expected Outcomes
Expected Outcomes for Gran Canaria
2–3 yrs
School Years to Impact
Measurable reduction in child drowning incidents
20%
Reduction in Deaths
23%
Safer Tourism Economy
Families choose proven child-safe destinations
73%
Cultural Shift
Water-smart children becoming water-smart adults

Immediate Impact: Addressing the record 4 child fatalities and 15 incidents recorded in 2025. Based on Water Safety Ireland's documented outcomes, these are realistic achievements within 3 years of full programme implementation.
Expected Outcomes
Positive Expectations & Results
30%
Reduction in Child Water Incidents
Projected 30–50% decrease based on Ireland's verified results following WISE programme rollout
100%
Teacher Confidence Target
Teachers trained, resourced, and proud — no specialist background required to deliver exceptional lessons
8
Core Safety Rules Per Child
Every child leaves primary school knowing and able to apply all 8 water safety principles
One classroom lesson today can save a life tomorrow.
About WSI
Water Safety Ireland — Who We Are
Roger Sweeney
Deputy CEO & Marketing Manager, Water Safety Ireland — 20+ years in national drowning prevention
Award-Winning Campaigns
Multi-year national partnership with Liam Neeson
National Policy Leadership
Ireland Primary Curriculum Framework integration
ILSE Best Practice Presenter
Gran Canaria, 25 April 2026
Call to Action
Questions & Open Discussion
The floor is yours. Every question, challenge, and idea shared here helps shape a programme that will protect children across Gran Canaria for generations.
Barriers to Implementation
What barriers exist in your school or municipality to implementing a programme like WISE?
Most Relevant Lesson
Which of the 8 lessons feels most relevant and urgent for your community?
Ministerial Support
What would it take to secure ministerial support in the Canary Islands education system?
Your WISE Champion
Who in this room can be your school's first WISE champion?
Thank You — Let's Make Every Classroom a Water-Safety Classroom
The evidence is clear. The tools are ready. The only thing missing is the decision to act — and that decision can be made in this room, today.
📋 Take the 5-Minute Survey
Your feedback shapes the next phase of WISE adaptation for Gran Canaria. A short survey link will be shared at the close of this session.
📦 Access Full WISE Materials
All 8 lesson packs, teacher training modules, posters, and adaptation guides are available for download.
🌐 Connect & Collaborate
Join the growing network of educators across Europe implementing classroom-based water safety programmes. Together, we prevent drowning.
The Children of Gran Canaria Are Waiting. The data is clear. The solution is proven. The invitation is here.
Let us make water safety mandatory in every primary school on Gran Canaria — starting today.
Sources & References
All statistics cited in this presentation are drawn from the following verified sources:
  1. Canarias 1500 km de Costa — "54 drownings recorded in the Canary Islands, Jan–Oct 2025." Asociación para la Prevención de Accidentes Acuáticos. November 2025. canarias1500kmdecosta.com
  1. Canarias7 / Canarias 1500 km de Costa — "Canarias registra 13 fallecidos por ahogamiento durante los dos primeros meses de 2026 (+18% vs. 2025)." Canarias7, 1 March 2026. canarias7.es
  1. InSpain.news / RFESS — "Drowning deaths in Spain increase in 2024: 471 fatalities — second worst year in a decade." January 2025. inspain.news
  1. WHO — "Global Status Report on Drowning Prevention 2024." World Health Organization, December 2024. who.int
  1. Water Safety Ireland — "National Drowning Statistics 2018–2022." watersafety.ie/statistics
  1. Teach WISE — "Water Insight, Safety & Education: 8-lesson land-based programme for schools." Water Safety Ireland. teachwise.ie
  1. Gazette Life — "Rise in Drownings Across the Canary Islands." 2 March 2026. gazettelife.com
Presentation prepared by Roger Sweeney, Deputy CEO & Marketing Manager, Water Safety Ireland | roger.sweeney@watersafety.ie | ILSE Best Practice Seminar, Gran Canaria, 25 April 2026