Three years ago Mahyar Rezaei was in Australian detention after fleeing Iran by boat to seek asylum.

Now he is trained to save lives after completing his bronze medallion course to become a surf lifesaver at Adelaide's West Beach.

"Standing next to the guys, Australian people, it was exciting," he said.

"We learn about how to carry a patient, how to rescue a patient, unconscious, conscious person ... all of these things to help people."

Mr Rezaei is part of a national program called On The Same Wave, which was borne out of the Cronulla riots a decade ago.

After racial tensions flared, Surf Life Saving Australia wanted to create an initiative to break down cultural barriers.

Mr Rezaei is not yet a permanent resident but is on a bridging visa and spends his time volunteering at the beach.

"All of them [surf lifesavers], they are friendly and welcoming, it's really nice," he said.

"I like this country, it's a multicultural country ... I feel safe here."

West Beach Surf Club diversity officer Peter Taylor said the program involved teaching participants how to be beach safe, as well as how to identify rip currents.

Peter Taylor oversees the program at West Beach. ( ABC News: Nicola Gage )

He said it was helping to make all cultures feel welcome at the beach.

"That's my reward is seeing them happy and part of the club and part of the community," Mr Taylor said.

Some migrants have to start from scratch, learning to swim before being taught about life saving skills.

"It's a long process if they can't swim," he said.

"We usually take 18 months to two years but we get them down to the beach and we teach them first aid.

"It gets them part of the club and in the community doing their work. And then in that process while they're doing that we teach them to swim."

A disproportionate number of drownings across Australia each year involve people from the migrant community.

Last month two boys died when they slipped off rocks at Glenelg, near Adelaide.

Mr Taylor said those involved in the program also learnt about how to identify rips.

"A lot of people have never touched the water before and are very scared but usually by the end of it, with gradual steps going into the water, they become a lot more confident," he said.

"Part of the bridging visa is they can't do a great deal but surf life saving or any volunteer work they can so that's why it's a good option for them to come down.

"It gives them something to do, it makes them part of the community and they feel so welcomed."

Asylum seekers give back to the community

Mohammad Al-Khafaji, from the Welcome to Australia group, said many asylum seekers wanted to help out in the community.

Sisters Cecile and Sophia Saidi, from Congo, will learn how to swim after joining the program. ( ABC News: Nicola Gage )

"They just want to belong to the community and they want to give back and want to participate in everything that Australians do," he said.

"Everyone wants to help out and everyone wants to be part of the community, asylum seekers and refugees are no different."

Mr Al-Khafaji said many asylum seekers volunteered, despite not knowing how long they would be able to stay in the country.

"Mahyar has no idea if he's going to stay in Australia for long, he's hoping," he said.

"But regardless, he wants to give back to the community that welcomed him in Australia."

Mr Al-Khafaji said beach culture in Australia was slowly becoming more culturally diverse, thanks to specific programs.

"Welcome to Australia has a similar program in Wollongong called Surf Together," he said.

"And that was borne out of a case where a couple of new arrivals in the country drowned unfortunately in shallow waters."