BOSTON - Wednesday,
October 13, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey today announced the Swim Safely
Partnership, aimed to increase access to swimming lessons, especially for
those who have faced historic and economic barriers. Mayor Janey made the
announcement today at Roxbury’s YMCA, an organization participating in the
multi-part community strategy. This initiative seeks to increase swim
safety by offering free YMCA swim lessons for children and adults,
expanding the lifeguard workforce through free training, and plans to
implement a pilot program that offers free swimming lessons for Boston
Public Schools (BPS) students at some schools as part of the curriculum.
“Our beautiful City
gems, such as our pools and beaches, should be places people can access
with safety and confidence,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “Too often fear of water
due to false and negative cultural assumptions, an overall lack of access,
and the dearth of swimming caps to properly accommodate Black hair prevent
enjoyment of these resources. I applaud all our community partners for
expanding access to life-saving swimming skills that will also boost the
physical, mental, and social well-being of our City’s residents.”
Swimming accidents
are a public health threat. The Commonwealth saw far too many drownings
this year, including here in Boston. These tragic accidents coupled with a
lifeguard shortage highlight the need for action.
According to the American Red Cross, swimming lessons reduce the risk of
drowning by 88 percent. To help address this need locally, the YMCA of
Greater Boston has emerged as a key partner, offering free swimming
lessons, starting on November 1st. The organization will offer 8-week
sessions at the Roxbury YMCA, the Dorchester YMCA, and the Menino YMCA
(Hyde Park).
“We proudly welcome
Mayor Janey to the Roxbury Y,” said James Morton, President and CEO of the
YMCA of Greater Boston. “We appreciate her attention to this much needed
swim safety program and for recognizing the Y as a strong partner in this
work.”
The YMCA will also
help increase the lifeguard workforce by providing free training and
certification, in collaboration with BPS high schools. These trainings will
provide an excellent opportunity for youth employment in the City, while
also ensuring the safety of our pools and waterfront spaces. Boston Public
Schools is also planning a pilot program in the winter/spring to explore
offering swimming lessons as part of the curriculum for some
students.
“It is so
important that our children, particularly in communities of color, develop
swimming and water safety skills that will stay with them for the rest of
their lives,” said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. “The Boston Public
Schools recognizes swimming as an important life skill and is excited to
work alongside our City and non-profit partners on this critical
initiative. All of our students deserve the opportunity to access the
wealth of resources and recreational activities a coastal city like ours
has to offer.”
Nationwide, drowning is the leading cause of death in children aged one to four and the second
leading cause of accidental death in children aged one to
fourteen. Black children ages 10-14 are more than seven times more
likely to drown than white children of the same age, according to the
CDC.
Economic inequities
also persist. A 2017 report commissioned by USA Swimming found that in
families with an annual household income below $50,000, 79 percent of
children have little or no swimming ability.
The Swimming Safely
Partnership programming emphasizes cultural competency, including community
conversations led by the Save the Harbor Women of Color Coalition and the
provision of Soul Caps, specially designed swim caps for natural hair, to
program participants.
“The Boston Harbor
Women of Color Coalition is overjoyed to be part of this initiative and to
host culturally informed community conversations that will provide an extra
level of comfort for our community members of color to confidently support
their children and families in, around, and after swimming in pools and any
of the amazing blue spaces Boston has to offer,” said Maya Smith,
Partnerships & Program Development Director at Save the Harbor Boston
and co-founder of their Women of Color Coalition. “Mayor Janey is helping
to ensure that our communities will have safe and equitable access to
swimming and waterways including the incredible resource that is Boston Harbor,
and we are proud to share that mission.”
Additional partners
who have joined this important initiative include the Boston Triathlon,
which will be developing more youth competition in the City and exposing
young athletes to the sport of swimming.
“The Boston
Triathlon is committed to helping organize and provide additional swim
clinics throughout the year in the City of Boston. Together with USA
Swimming and USA Triathlon we will continue to grow our ‘Splash and Dash’
so children across the City have access. We want to increase accessibility
and remove barriers for people of color to our sport,” said Michael O’Neil,
President of the Boston Triathlon.
The financing of
this initiative will come from various sources, including an investment
from Mayor Janey’s Joy Agenda, which was matched by a philanthropic
contribution from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
“Blue Cross is
committed to the health of children and families in our communities,” said
Jeff Bellows, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Public Affairs at
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. “We’re proud to partner with the
City to ensure that all kids, and especially those living in
under-resourced neighborhoods, learn how to swim by providing free swim
lessons and water safety classes to Boston’s youth.”
This new program
builds off of the City’s existing water safety efforts including swim
lessons and other aquatics programs offered by Boston Centers for Youth and
Families (BCYF).
For more information
about the Swim Safely Partnership, to receive swim lesson sign-up
information, or to learn more about lifeguard training, please email swim@boston.gov.
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