Tag: National Learn to Swim Programme

Learn to Swim partnership goes from length to length

A VITAL national swimming framework has celebrated its fifth year, creating the next generation of safe swimmers with over 76,000 children from across the country taking part in weekly lessons.

The National Learn to Swim Framework – a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water – has gone from strength to strength since its formation, with programmes back to 88% capacity following pandemic restrictions.

Swim superstars, Olympic medallist Duncan Scott and Paralympic medallist Toni Shaw renewed their ambassadorships of the Framework which is delivered across Scotland by 38 Leisure Trusts and Aquatic Providers in more than 160 pools.

Euan Lowe, CEO of Scottish Swimming said: “Seeing the Learn to Swim Framework reach more children across Scotland is incredible. We’re very lucky in Scotland to have so many excellent local authorities, leisure trusts and aquatic providers working towards the common goal of teaching this vital life skill across the country.

“Through the Framework, we are creating a generation of happy, healthy and active young people and we are delighted that each year more children across the country are getting the opportunity to get into the pool.”

Research into the cognitive benefits of young people who take swimming lessons has shown that they achieve a range of developmental milestones much earlier than those who don’t, regardless of their gender or background.

Children who are members of a swimming club and who compete regularly, develop core competencies – such as target-setting, teamwork and leadership attributes – which can help them greatly in their future careers and lives.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs at Scottish Water, said: “We are delighted that the Learn to Swim programme has bounced back so strongly after the pandemic and continues to go from strength to strength.

“Being able to swim is an essential life skill and the programme gives children the skills and confidence they need to enjoy swimming safely.

“Everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s miles of rivers, lochs, reservoirs and shorelines safely and with confidence, and our aim is to work with Scottish Swimming and all the local authorities, leisure trusts and aquatic providers across the country to create ‘Generation Swim’, a generation of safe and competent swimmers, who will also get to experience the wider health and social benefits that swimming can offer.”

Learn to Swim is a National Framework committed to creating supportive and quality environments in which children can learn to swim regardless of their age, ability, or skill level. It aims to develop competent swimmers, as well as encouraging youngsters to adopt a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle with sport and fun at its heart to reach their full potential both in the pool and out. 

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:

https://learntoswim.scot/

Learn to Swim ambassadors inspire next wave on world stage

Decorated athletes return from Commonwealth Games

TRIUMPHANT swimmers returning to Scotland after a successful Commonwealth Games hope recent achievements will inspire the next generation of swimmers.

Learn to Swim programme ambassadors, Duncan Scott and Toni Shaw, are using their profile to encourage youngsters across the country take to the water and learn to swim.

The National Learn to Swim Programme – a partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water – is delivered by Local Authorities, Leisure Trusts and swimming lesson providers throughout Scotland.                                                                                                

The programme, which is promoted by ambassadors Duncan and Toni, aims to help children of all ages and abilities become confident, safer and competent swimmers.

Duncan, who comes home as Scotland’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time, returns with six fresh medals, including two golds. He has tallied up 13 Commonwealth medals since 2014. It comes after he became Team GB’s most successful athlete ever from a single Olympic Games with his 2021 Tokyo haul.

He said: “After competing in world-wide events, it’s so nice to be able to come back to the grassroots and motivate those at the beginning of their swimming journey.

“Whether youngsters simply become regulars at the pool or if this involvement inspires the next generation of competitive swimmers – only good things can come from encouraging more children into the water.”

Duncan started his swimming journey in South Ayrshire where he learned to swim at Troon swimming pool alongside his sister and he often states that competitive sibling rivalry spurred him on to achieve his best at swimming from a young age.

From swimming regularly with his family Duncan went on to join the local swimming club under coach Mike Boles and quickly showed talent, entering competitions at the age of 8.

Duncan continued his swimming journey in Alloa at the Alloa Leisure Bowl. He joined FIRST, a composite club where Steven Tigg became his coach. He then won a scholarship to Strathallan School as a result of his swimming ability with coach Elaine Johnston and started to compete, still under FIRST, in national and international competitions.

Duncan still trains under coach Steven Tigg and is based at the University of Stirling where he graduated with a Degree in Business and Sports Studies in 2021.

Toni secured a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the Women’s 100m Freestyle S9 Para Swimming event and placed fourth in the individual medley. At just 14-years-old, Toni Shaw first competed at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 in the Gold Coast.

She said: “It’s fantastic to play important role in the promotion of swimming across the country.

“Learning to swim is a vital skill as it keeps us safe around water while providing a range of health and wellbeing benefits. It also is a fun way to keep active and socialise.”

Toni learned to swim in Aberdeen in a learn to swim programme at Northfield Pool. She has always been a strong advocate of children with disabilities being integrated into mainstream lessons, spearheading Scottish Swimming’s ‘SeeMyAbility’ campaign as she felt she benefitted from a mainstream programme rather than one-to-one lessons.

She joined Cults Otters – one of the local swimming clubs where it soon became apparent, she had a strong talent for swimming, particularly freestyle.

At the age of 14 she moved to the Aberdeen University Performance programme, training at Aberdeen Aquatics centre under coach Gregor McMillan. She began to compete at a national and international level winning 6 medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in London 2019, and in 2022, became world champion over 400m freestyle.

Like Duncan, Toni recently started life as a student at the University of Stirling where she trains under coach Josh Williamson.

The next chapter of Learn to Swim is to build a real legacy for Scotland – improving water safety, and, through working with schools and local authorities, giving all children a real platform for success and to achieve their full potential in the pool and out.

Brian Lironi, Director of Corporate Affairs with Scottish Water, said: “In Scotland, we’re surrounded by so much water making it essential to learn to swim from a young age.

“Duncan and Toni are both inspirational and play an important role in inspiring the next generation involved in the programme. Through involvement directly helps youngsters understand that this is a vital life skill that one day could ultimately save their life.

The Learn to Swim programme is being delivered across Scotland by 36 Leisure Trusts and Aquatic Providers in more than 160 pools and is aimed at youngsters from birth up to 11-years-old.

So far, more than 100,000 young Scots have taken part in the programme and we are targeting another 100,000 by 2025 in a bid to create a new generation of safer and confident swimmers.

Euan Lowe, Chief Executive Officer at Scottish Swimming, said: “Duncan and Toni are prime examples of the incredible pathways swimming can take you down. It’s a real benefit to have such fantastic role models inspiring our next generation and promoting water safety.”

For more information on the Learn to Swim programme, visit:

 https://learntoswim.scot/