Join our South Brighton lifeguarding team and help make a real difference.
We're proud of the role we play in keeping our coastline safe, developing confident new lifeguards and supporting our existing guards to grow their skills.
Our volunteer lifeguards range from 14 to 50+ years old, and we welcome anyone who wants to jump in and get involved. You don't need to be an athlete or Olympic-level swimmer, just someone who enjoys spending time at the beach and wants to join a great community that believes in giving back (and if you're really not much of a swimmer but want to get involved then check out the Patrol Support section below).
Patrol Season and Hours
The volunteer patrol season runs from November - March each year, and patrol hours are 11am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday.
At South Brighton, we usually have six patrol groups with around 6-8 members in each patrol, which means being rostered 'on' approximately six times during the summer.
Lifeguard Exam
To become a qualified surf lifeguard, you'll need to be 14 years or older on the date of your exam. The exam is run to Surf Life Saving New Zealand standards and includes the following components:
- 400m pool swim in under 8 minutes and 45 seconds
- A 200m run/swim/run in the surf
- CPR Test
- Tube rescue test
- Theory exam
- First aid questions
Our fantastic group of Instructors will be with you every step of the way and will teach you everything you need to know so that you're fully supported to pass your Lifeguard Award.
Please contact us at lifeguarding@sbsc.co.nz to find out when our next course is starting and get enrolled!
Patrol Support Award
If you'd would like to become a volunteer lifeguard but can't complete the swim requirements, then the Patrol Support Award is perfect for you! This qualification allows you to do everything a lifeguard would, except the water components including rescues.
Patrol Support members are a vital asset to our patrols, and often specialise in areas such as first aid and search and rescue operations. As above, please contact us at lifeguarding@sbsc.co.nz information on upcoming courses.