The Demographic

The NBSLSC has a diverse range of members with no boundaries regarding gender or culture. The community places a strong emphasis on their growing multifaceted identity, however; it is vital for members of the community to have the ability to understand and to speak the English language. This is attributed to the need to be able to converse with both peers and the general public visiting North Bondi, effective communication is pertinent to a successfully connected and safe network, whether it be online or face-to-face.  

The majority of the members live locally in Bondi and within the Eastern Suburbs. In order to become an esteemed member, there is an annual application, which needs to be submitted at the beginning of every year. Once an application is revised and accepted, the new member will go through a training process which teaches them the fundamental tools and procedures needed to gradually become a volunteer lifeguard.

The club has grown significantly over the past few years however, consistent involvement is demanding and essentially a commitment. It entails ongoing training and being on shift as a volunteer lifeguard for a minimum of 4 hours per week. Naturally, within the community there is a hierarchical system with the senior and most experienced lifeguards inheriting the roll as instructors for the new recruits and members, running training sessions, events and the surf club in general. The administration team actively recruits new members through organising community events and vetting membership applications. Similarly, the lifeguards who supervise the other volunteers help to train and manage the group, actively ensuring the participation, cooperation and safety of each individual member.

Fig 3.2 exhibits the clubs most renowned program: Nippers, which centres on developing the youth between the ages of 5-14 years. It encompasses activities on both sand and water that can eventually lead to competitions and carnivals. Held every Sunday from October to March, this junior development program reinforces surf education from a young age to ensure all members of their community are safe and aware. This aspect is an integral part of the NBSLSC community.

The sense of community and togetherness has been central to the clubs values since its origin. This is evident through its tight and welcoming network both in real life and digitally, predominantly depicted in the countless images and videos spread throughout their entire online presence.

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