YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on the Importance of Every Child Having the Opportunity to Learn Water Safety Skills

Yadmin — Thu, 28 May 2015 18:51:17 +0000

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on the Importance of Every Child Having the Opportunity to Learn Water Safety Skills Yadmin Thu, 05/28/2015 - 13:51

The Y has a rich heritage in aquatics and swim education.

The Y dedicated the world’s first indoor pool in 1885, developed the first mass swim lesson in 1907 and introduced SCUBA training and certification in 1959.

We’ve been committed to providing safe, fun and innovative facilities and programs for swimmers for over a 100 years.

Yet each year, about 1,150 children nationwide drown and another 5,000 under the age of 14 are hospitalized due to near-drownings.

This issue is exacerbated in Minnesota.

First, we have a whole lot of water in our state, including what’s called “brown water,” which is opaque. If a child falls into a lake and struggles, it’s difficult for someone to even know.

Second, we’ve seen this amazing transformation in our community, with newcomer populations finding themselves throughout Minnesota. Many of them are encountering water – much less brown water – for the first time.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the people most at risk of drowning are males, children between the ages of 1 and 4, and minorities.

In recent years, we’ve had several drownings in the Twin Cities. And recently, two brothers, both under the age of 10, were rescued from an abandoned swimming pool outside an apartment building in St. Paul. The older brother is expected to survive, but his younger brother was in critical condition, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Quite frankly, it shouldn’t be a problem.

We know what kids need. Whether budgets get in the way, or school curriculum has moved away from water instruction – based on budgets, time or facilities – we have to find ways to get our kids immersed in water and how to be safe in it.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, swim safety lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent. At the Y, swimming programs nationwide are available year-round for infants, children and adults.

Thanks to Hawkins Inc., the Twin Cities YMCA is able to offer kids ages 5 to 14 free water safety instruction. This includes five, 40-minute water safety sessions led by YMCA-certified aquatics instructors. These are not traditional or comprehensive “swim lessons.”

The main focus of the instruction is simple: we want to educate youth on how to stay safe around water.

As we’re entering the time to explore the outdoors, kids are going to be finding their way to water. Parents and caregivers need to know that the Y is in a position to ensure any kid that wants to will get the instruction they need to be safe around the water.

To learn more, contact us.

YMCA Renews Longstanding Commitment to End Childhood Drowning with Safety Around Water Program

Yadmin — Tue, 19 May 2015 18:00:39 +0000

YMCA Renews Longstanding Commitment to End Childhood Drowning with Safety Around Water Program Yadmin Tue, 05/19/2015 - 13:00

The YMCA of the North (YGTC), a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, offers the Safety Around Water program to engage and educate parents about the importance of water safety skills and provide more of America’s youth access to water safety lessons. The program will focus on reaching African American, Hispanic, Hmong, East African and Native American communities where risk of drowning among children is highest.

According to data from the USA Swimming Foundation, 70 percent of African American and 60 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, compared to just 40 percent of Caucasian children. While fatal drowning is a concern for all children – it’s the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages one to 14 years old – African American children ages 5 to 14 are three times more likely to drown than their white counterparts.

Through the Y’s Safety Around Water program, parents and caregivers will be encouraged to help their children learn fundamental water safety and swimming skills. Children will learn how to respond if they find themselves in unexpected water situations -- from how to reach the water’s surface if they submerge to safely reaching a pool’s edge or exiting any body of water.

“In many underserved communities, staying safe around water means keeping kids away from water, but water safety and swimming are important life skills in the growth and development of all children,” said Lindsay Mondick, director of aquatics at YGTC. “All children deserve access to water safety resources that not only could save their lives, but enrich them with an outlet for fun, healthy activity.”

Mondick adds the Y’s Safety Around Water program teaches children of all ages and from all backgrounds that water should be fun, not feared. The Y teaches fundamental water safety skills that include the concepts of reach, throw, don’t go; CPR and what to look for in a safe place to swim.

Kids learn what to do if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly:

Jump, Push, Turn and Grab – teaches a child to push off the bottom of the pool as they are submerging to get back up to the surface while turning to grab the side of the pool.
Swim, Float, Swim – teaches children to swim a short distance on their front, roll over on their back to rest, and then roll on their front to continue swimming to safety

Through the Safety Around Water program, the Y hopes to further bridge cultural and access gaps that can prevent some children from learning important water safety skills. Listen to these stories and discover how local youth learned life-saving water safety skills in the program:

The YMCA introduced the concept of group swim lessons in 1909 and has been a leader in providing swim lessons and water safety for more than 100 years. The Y helps youth and adults from all backgrounds experience the joy and benefits of swimming so they can be healthy, confident and secure in the water. There are a variety of programs to choose, including child and adult swim lessons, competitive swimming teams, water exercise and specialty classes, and lifeguard certification training. To ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate, financial assistance is available to those in need to help cover the costs.

Learn more about swimming and water safety classes, and lifeguard certification.

YMCA News Archive

YMCA CEO Glen Gunderson’s Perspective on the Importance of Every Child Having the Opportunity to Learn Water Safety Skills

YMCA Renews Longstanding Commitment to End Childhood Drowning with Safety Around Water Program