As an organization that developed organized swim lessons, the YMCA is committed to bringing water safety skills to all children and families, with little to no cost to participate. With thousands of pools across the country, the Y is the solution for parents and caregivers looking for accessible water safety programming. Drowning is preventable, and learning basic swimming and water-safety skills is one way we can reduce a child’s risk of drowning.
A recent YMCA survey showed that 9 out of 10 parents and primary caregivers in the U.S. see swimming as a key life skill for their children—on the same level as first aid skills or preparing a simple meal. However, finding the right swim program can be difficult, especially if cost is a factor. While most parents and caregivers understand the importance of swimming lessons, half of them believe they are too expensive. Three in ten parents say that affordability hinders their ability to prioritize water safety lessons for their children.
Lawrence YMCA Branch Executive Joseph Agosto is proud of the success of the YMCA’s Safety Around Water Program. “When I think of safety around water, the first thing that comes to mind is how the City of Lawrence is located on the river and water awareness is critical to keep everyone safe. Safety Around Water is a life skill that everybody should learn at a young age. We want people to enjoy water confidently and safely. During the height of the pandemic, many families lost the opportunity for swim lessons. The need has surpassed our capacity right now. Our aquatics team is trying to keep up with the demand and get as many youth and adults registered for swim programs.”
Through the support of individuals, businesses, and grants, the YMCA is committed to making swimming lessons and water safety available to all. This summer, the YMCA was awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Alliance of YMCAs through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Youth-At-Risk funds. Part of this funding supported swimming lessons. The YMCA’s Association Operations Director of Aquatics Dan Burke shared that “Last year, 2500 individuals learned to swim at Merrimack Valley Y, through programs at summer camps (Camp Otter, Camp Nokomis, and Camp Lawrence), the Lawrence YMCA and the Andover/North Andover YMCA.”
One of the goals of swim lessons is to reduce the risk of drowning by giving children and adults confidence in and around water. A component of swim lessons is “Safety Around Water.” Our goal is that if a child or an adult falls in, they can swim, float swim, tread, and exit the water. The levels build on skill sequences to enable a child to help save themselves or tread/float long enough for help to arrive.
While the Y’s swimming lessons program focuses on serious, technical skills to help reduce the risk of drowning, the program also weaves in fun activities to reinforce these skills to empower participants.
A typical swimming lesson session includes:
• Exercises to help kids adjust to being in the water
• Instruction in “Jump, Push, Turn, Grab” and “Swim, Float, Swim,” two skill sets kids & adults can use if they unexpectedly find themselves in the water
• Introduction of swimming stroke techniques
• Specific safety topics like what to do if you see someone in the water who needs help
• Fun activities that reinforce skills