Creating improved access and inclusion for people with an intellectual or physical disability in swimming and water safety programs.
Access for all!
New Zealanders are surrounded by water. The desire to play and recreate in water-based environments is engrained in our culture. Children are naturally attracted to water-based play opportunities.
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We want our young people to be able to jump through the waves at the beach, to jump off the wharf, to swim out to the pontoon with the other kids, to leap out on the rope swing into the river. These spontaneous water-based play and recreation experiences are amongst those that define us as kiwi’s, however, many children and young people with disabilities are missing out on these experiences as they are unable to swim. People with disabilities also experience greater barriers to access for swimming development and swim sport participation.
The All In Swim Programme aims to enable lifelong safe enjoyment of water-based play and recreation. We want to better support people with physical and intellectual disabilities to access learn to swim opportunities. The programme is about giving people the skills to be able to swim so they can confidently pursue and enjoy water-based play and recreation experiences. For those want to progress into competitive swimming sports, we will help create the pathways and opportunities for them to do so.
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One factor contributing to lower swimming participation rates, is the readiness and confidence of swim teachers to include people with a disability into lessons. Recognising this, Belgravia Foundation Aotearoa, in working in conjunction with SwimmingNZ, Special Olympics and Parafed Auckland to develop an innovative framework to train and provide ongoing support and development for swimming and water safety teachers. We are currently piloting a training and support framework that can be replicated and scaled up to include other regions at relatively low cost.
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If you know a young person living with a physical or intellectual disability in one of our target regions, who will benefit from the opportunity to improve their confidence and swimming skills, get in touch with us now.
Removing financial barriers to access for families in high deprivation situations
Many children and young people of all abilities are living in high deprivation situations across NZ and face financial barriers to accessing learn to swim and other sports and recreation opportunities. Belgravia Foundation Aotearoa is currently working with our delivery partner Belgravia Leisure, to provide free learn to swim lessons for families experiencing genuine financial hardship. We work with local kura, preschools, schools and groups to identify those families in greatest need and they are given the opportunity to participate in seven free learn to swim lessons.
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