YMCA Safety Around Water: A community Based Drowning Prevention Program Lindsay Mondick Lindsay is the Senior Manager of Aquatics for YMCA of the USA. In her role, she provides thought leadership and strategy to the growth and development of the aquatics program specialty area for the YMCA movement in the United States. Abstract We know that lasting personal and social change comes about when we all work together. That s why at the Y, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Teaching children how to be safe around water is not a luxury; it is a necessity. The YMCA s Safety Around Water program was created to make sure children learn essential water safety skills, which can open up a world of possibilities for them to satisfy their curiosity safely. This session will provide details about how the YMCA has worked to develop a sustainable drowning prevention program across the country called Safety Around Water, and case studies on how community wide collaborations can bring change to high risk communities.
AMERICA S SWIM INSTRUCTOR 1 million kids each year 2,700 locations 2,200 pools 100 years of experience ANSWERING THE CALL 10 PEOPLE DAY FROM DROWNING http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/ 2 CHILDREN DIE EACH 88% OF CHILDREN DAY AS A RESULT OF WHO DROWNED WERE DROWNING. UNDER SOME FORM OF SUPERVISION 88% http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/ https://www.safekids.org/sites Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of death for children from 5-14 years old A FOCUS ON DROWNING PREVENTION Over 60% of Ys focus on drowning prevention, beyond traditional swim lessons. NO Program Yes we have a 3
SAFETY AROUND WATER Focus: Parents of children age 4-14, especially African American and Hispanic families Piloted and tested for 4 years, launched in 2015 Marketing & PR Effort. National PR effort and digital marketing strategy targets the most-at-risk children. SWIMMING LESSONS SAVE LIVES Participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children aged one to four years. (Source: Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 2009) SAFETY AROUND WATER PURPOSE The program is designed to reach children at the highest risk of drowning and teach them water safety skills. AUDIENCE Any school-age child who cannot jump into the water and safely exit the pool on their own and has not received formal swim instruction. LOCATION Any pool location safe to deliver swimming lessons to children. OVER 800 YMCA s HAVE PLEDGED TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM SKILLS AND OUTCOMES Two sequences to move across water & exit: Swim, Float, Swim Jump into the pool, swim 5-10 feet, roll to back to catch breath, roll from back to front, swim to the side, safely exit the pool. Jump, Push, Turn, and Grab Jump into the pool, push off the bottom, turn around to face the wall, grab the wall, and safely exit the pool. SAFETY AROUND WATER Comfort in submersion of face & body Comfort Swimming on Front & back Jump, Push, Turn, Grab Swim, Float, Swim
PROGRAM MATERIALS Pledge & Learn Facts about drowning prevention The Y s opportunity Pledge to participate, understand, advocate Prepare Getting started Program support Promotion and education Staff and volunteers Safety and prevention Implement Enrollment: Enrollment and photo release forms Lesson Materials: Lesson plans, water safety topics, basic skill videos, fun activities, skill progress tracker, recognition of achievement, family pledge card Reflect & Celebrate Impact: Communication template Sustainability: Building a sustainable program resources and checklist BASIC SKILL VIDEOS 8 DRY LAND ACTIVITIES 9
WATER SAFETY TOPICS & Ask Permission 10 FUN ACTIVITIES 11 12
SKILL PROGRESS TRACKER 13 FAMILY PLEDGE & WATER WATCHER CARD 14 RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT: 15
BRIGHT SPOT YMCA of South Florida MOBILE AQUATIC TEAM 17 MOBILE AQUATIC TEAM 18
BRIGHT SPOT YMCA of Greater Twin Cities REACHING COMMUNITIES AT RISK 20 KEY LEARNINGS Partnerships Schools & Community Orgs. Layered Impact -to parents and communities 21
2016 PILOT YMCA s YMCA of Fox Cities (WI) YMCA of Inland Northwest (WA) East Valley YMCA (CA) Eastern Union County YMCA (NJ) Coastal Georgia YMCA (GA) Central Massachusetts YMCA (MA) Tucson YMCA (AZ) Western North Carolina YMCA (NC) Oklahoma City YMCA (OK) Snohomish County YMCA (WA) Received funding to serve at least 100 youth through September 2016 No drowning prevention program/no experience running Safety Around Water Focus on community engagement in the program Outcome data pending Partner Analysis 23 PARTNERSHIPS 24
FAMILY Engagement 25 Attrition Parent Involvement & Program Understanding FAMILY Engagement Parent Fears Swimming themselves & does not want child to swim Parent Buy-IN 26 Incentivize attendance (donations) Invite parents to a water safety day, participate in the pool on the last day FAMILY Engagement Invite parents to a day where they learn aquatic safety skills Family Pledge Cards 27
FAMILY ENGAGEMENT 28 ADVOCACY & MESSAGING 29 QUESTIONS?
Together we can do so much more! THANK YOU! Lindsay Mondick Lindsay.Mondick@ymca.net The Y sas the ability to teach more than 1 million people how to swim every year. We consider it a priority and a responsibility to prevent drowning and teach people how to be safe in and around the water.