As part of National Volunteers Week (May 18-24), we are excited to highlight another incredible member of our Surf Life Saving Tasmania community, Burnie SLSC member Georgia Sherlock. 

From active patrolling member and club secretary to teacher, Sherlock continues to make a positive impact both on and off the beach.

Originally joining surf life saving in Year 6 at Penguin SLSC, Sherlock rediscovered her enthusiasm for the surf lifesaving community in 2020 when she rejoined as a volunteer at Burnie SLSC. Since then, she has become a dedicated patrolling member, a member of the Burnie Breeze Open Women’s Surfboat crew, and has also stepped into the role of club secretary alongside her mother.

“I’ve learnt so much through the guidance and mentoring I've received along the way,” Sherlock said. “It’s been an amazing experience.”

“I was also involved with the Life Saving Development Camp as a candidate in 2021 and a member of the management team in 2022. This was such an impactful part of my life as it both highlighted why I wanted to be a teacher, but also motivated me to look for further opportunities to extend myself in the lifesaving field. 

“The connections I’ve made from this camp will follow me for a long time and I’m so grateful that I could be part of the amazing initiative,” she said. 

Sherlock said her mother has always been one of her biggest inspirations, making the pathway into teaching feel like a natural fit.

“Watching her study at university and work as a teacher had a huge influence on me.”

“I’ve always wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives and help others pursue their passions, and teaching felt like the perfect way to do that.”

Through both teaching and lifesaving, Sherlock has found many similarities between the two roles, with skills from one naturally supporting the other.

“Both involve helping people learn new skills, build confidence, and feel supported.” she said.

“In both settings, you need to communicate clearly, be patient, encourage others, and adapt your approach depending on individual needs.”

Sherlock believes building positive relationships is one of the most important parts of both teaching and surf lifesaving, with people learning best when they feel comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes. The leadership, teamwork and mentoring skills developed through surf lifesaving have all transferred directly into the classroom.

During her time at university, Sherlock also worked as a community educator through the Beach to Bush and Ready, Set, Rescue programs, these experiences she says has helped prepare her for a career in teaching.

“Through these programs, I developed confidence in delivering content to different groups and strengthened a range of skills that helped prepare me for teaching.” she said.

Her role as club secretary has also helped further develop her skills that she brings into her professional career.

“Through Burnie SLSC, I’ve developed a range of skills that I now use every day in teaching.” she said.

“Surf Lifesaving has strengthened my communication and teamwork skills, particularly when working with different age groups and dynamics while remaining calm in fast-paced situations.”

For Sherlock, the most rewarding part of both teaching and surf life saving has been the sense of connection and belonging. 

“In both spaces, I feel like I'm contributing to something positive and working alongside supportive people who care about making a difference.” she said.

“I really enjoy being involved in communities where people support and encourage one another.”

Looking forward, Sherlock is most excited to continue to grow, both within her role as a teacher, but also as a volunteer at Burnie SLSC. 

“I’m excited to continue being part of such a supportive committee and to keep giving back to the community.”

“Volunteers play a crucial role in bringing communities together and supporting one another. This is especially clear in surf life saving, where volunteers are the backbone of our clubs, giving up their time to keep our beaches safe, help young people learn water safety, and work towards making a difference both in and out of the water.”