Wherever possible we provide training for our volunteers to develop their skills, offer a learning opportunity and provide a better service for our swimmers.
We train all our volunteers on a 1-2-1 basis when they first join, getting them to spend their first few weeks shadowing experienced volunteers. This training demonstrates how each swimmer is different, and teaches people how to focus on the swimmer’s needs and abilities. We have created a short myth buster, which can be found on different disabilities.
In addition, we have run structured training sessions in the past, these have included:
Understanding autism
The National Autism Society taught us about autism and Asperger syndrome.
Pool safety
We regularly run sessions on emergency procedures, pool safety and regular drills.
Halliwick Swimming Therapy
Halliwick Swimming Therapy carried out a training session on the Halliwick swimming method for teaching disabled people how to swim.
Mencap
Mencap delivered a learning difficulty awareness training session.
Being aware of visual impairment
Now and again we ask our volunteers to be blindfolded so that they ‘feel’ and ‘walk’ around the pool while relying on someone else’s verbal directions so that they experience what it is like for our swimmers with a visual impairment.