logo
Marginalized communities learning to swim through special program in Kitchener

Marginalized communities learning to swim through special program in Kitchener

CTV News6 days ago
Members of marginalized communities are learning a valuable and potentially lifesaving skill in Kitchener.
Afropolitan Canada is hosting their third annual swimming program for BIPOC families in Waterloo Region. Over the course of eight weeks, participants meet up at pools throughout the city to address what the organization calls 'systemic inequities in access to swimming education.'
'The main purpose of this particular program was to help our community,' Rosina Amoah Agyapong, program coordinator, said. '[We] teach them about the basic swimming skills and also teach them how to prevent drowning and to be able to engage in the confidence level through swimming.'
According to a 2024 survey by the Lifesaving Society, a charitable organization centred on preventing water-related injuries and drowning, most newcomers to Canada believe learning to swim is a necessary life skill, but half of all immigrants described themselves as a weak or non-swimmer. Many parents cited cost and a lack of time as barriers to enrolling their children in swim programs.
Afropolitan Canada, with support from the City of Kitchener and Jumpstart, is trying to address part of that problem by offering low cost, and in some cases free, lessons.
Classes focus on basic water survival skills such as treading water, surface swimming and self-rescue techniques.
'It's a roll into the water, 50-meter swim and one-metre of treading water,' Alex Geisel, Kitchener's Aquatics Supervisor, explained.
'Knowing that we're surrounded by water in southwestern Ontario and the access that we have, just making sure that everyone is aware and has those abilities to stay safe and enjoy their time, not just the in summer, but [all] year,' Geisel said.
Demand has been steadily growing since the initiative's inception. In 2023, 93 people signed up for the program and, in 2024, that number grew to 178. This year, the program welcomed 197 participants while more than 250 people were on a waitlist.
'There is a lot of urgency in the area for people who aren't able to swim,' said Afropolitan Canada board chair Kayla Stephenson.
'The purpose is for us to be able to learn if we are in the water, that if we're in trouble, to be able to survive,' Stephen said. 'They do get a certificate at the end of the program and they're able to come back and learn further skills and advance their skills in the years to come.'
For some families, learning new skills brings a wave of relief.
'It's reassuring,' Debbie Henry, a participant and parent, said. 'Less fear. Because kids want to be kids. They want to have fun. They're going to run poolside and if they jump in, they know how to surface, they know what to do to stay afloat. I think it's important for everyone to have swimming lessons, to be able to survive. I think it's a basic skill.'
Henry has been learning alongside her children.'It's been great! I'm learning whip kick, eggbeater and all different types of survival swimming techniques. It's been good. And for my kids as well – they're building their confidence in the pool.'
Organizers said they are trying to find more funding to expand the program in the years to come.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

One dead in small plane crash near Winnipeg, Transportation Safety Board investigating
One dead in small plane crash near Winnipeg, Transportation Safety Board investigating

National Post

time11 minutes ago

  • National Post

One dead in small plane crash near Winnipeg, Transportation Safety Board investigating

The pilot of a Quad City Challenger II (not the one shown here) died when his aircraft went down outside Winnipeg on Saturday morning. Photo by Alan D R Brown/Creative Commons The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the crash of a small plane east of Winnipeg that killed one person. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The national safety agency released few details, but says the crash on Saturday morning involved a privately registered Quad City Challenger II ultralight aircraft. The safety board says one person was involved in the incident that happened in Dugald, a community about 25 kilometres east of Winnipeg. RCMP later confirmed in a news release that they responded to a small, single-engine, two-seat aircraft crash around 11 a.m., and a man's body was recovered at the scene. Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again Police say there were no other occupants of the aircraft. TSB says it has deployed a team of investigators and is unable to share more information at this time. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Seagull suffers ‘horrific' injury from discarded wooden barbecue skewer, B.C. rescue says
Seagull suffers ‘horrific' injury from discarded wooden barbecue skewer, B.C. rescue says

CTV News

time2 hours ago

  • CTV News

Seagull suffers ‘horrific' injury from discarded wooden barbecue skewer, B.C. rescue says

A wooden barbecue skewer is successfully removed from the neck of a gull. (Credit) Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. A carelessly discarded wooden barbecue skewer seriously injured a seagull in White Rock, B.C., according to a wildlife rescue, which is urging people to be more careful with their garbage. The Glaucous-winged gull was spotted earlier this month on the popular White Rock Pier with the 'unusual impalement' piercing its neck, the Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C. said in a statement. 'Although still able to fly, a Wildlife Rescue volunteer skillfully captured the bird and brought them to the facility for care,' a spokesperson wrote. 'The bird was anesthetized, the skewer was carefully removed, and the gull was treated for their injuries. After just over two weeks in care, the gull's wound has healed fully.' Expand Autoplay 1 of 6 seagull The gull in recovery (Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) seagull The gull preparing for its X-Ray (Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) seagull X-Ray after the removal of the skewer (Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) Seagull X-Ray showing the "unusual impalement"(Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) seagull The gull in recovery (Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) Seagull The gull in recovery (Credit: Wildlife Rescue Association of B.C.) This rescue marks the second time in two years the rescue has taken in a gull injured in these circumstances. 'This injury is a tragic example of the harmful effects human trash can have on wildlife,' the statement from the rescue said. The gull will be released back into the wild Monday after what the organization describes as a 'remarkable recovery' from a 'horrific injury.' The organization encourages anyone who sees an animal in distress to report it online.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store