Rami Botani is Operations Coordinator at Auburn Ruth Everuss Centre and Wentworthville Memorial Swimming Centre, both in Sydney’s western suburbs. His journey in aquatics shows the impact that can flow from connecting young people to recreation.

Rami was born in Iraq. In 2015 he moved to Australia after spending part of his childhood in Syria and Lebanon. In 2018, he was a final year student at Bankstown Senior College. The school and an organisation called START offered Rami five free swimming lessons at Auburn Ruth Everuss Centre.

Rami got to know the Centre Manager, and was inspired to qualify as a lifeguard. He was employed at the pool as a lifeguard, moving to the position of Duty Manager and then Operations Supervisor. He is now Operations Coordinator for the two Cumberland City Council venues, which are managed by Belgravia Leisure.

Rami’s experience shows the value of offering recreational opportunities to young people. Here, it has led to skills, employment, and the Auburn Ruth Everuss and Wentworthville teams gaining a great team member. Belgravia Foundation encourages recreation providers to consider their own initiatives to introduce young people to new skills and experiences.

Along with being a valued member of the Belgravia Leisure team, Rami is in his final year of a Bachelor of Music degree at Western Sydney University. If you would like to learn more, Rami was recently profiled by the Aquatic and Recreation Institute.