‘More than just swimming’

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This article was published 05/02/2025 (554 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Newcomers to Canada are four times more likely to drown than those who were born here, according to the Lifesaving Society. Now one Winnipegger, backed by a team of instructors, is helping change that.

Aqua Essence Swim Academy (1585 Kenaston Blvd.) is the home of the Swim With Me Foundation, which offers free swimming lessons for children and adults who are either new to Canada or living in the lowest-income areas of the city.

The initiative was founded by Rishona Hyman in 2017, with the notion that “swimming should not be a privilege, but a right.”

It has since spread to Toronto, Ont., with the hopes to expand even further after it was met with success in the neighbouring province.

“It was hard to keep seeing kids at pools that didn’t know how to swim, hearing about newcomers that were drowning,” Hyman said. “And so the whole basis of the foundation is to support people new to our country, and people who can’t afford the price tag of swim lessons.”

Currently, the foundation serves 200 swimmers. In Winnipeg, lessons take place Tuesday mornings and Friday nights.

While the focus is on swimming, the lessons can also improve many other facets of life — including sociability, confidence, and mental wellness, as the youngsters have something to look forward to every week.

“It’s really amazing to see; it’s more than just swimming,” Hyman said. “Especially when you think about demographics that are coming — you’re creating community, you’re building relationships, there are role models, you’re building confidence … I was just talking to another instructor, and she said it was such a great day because one of the swimmers was finally able to float on their back, and they were so proud of themselves.”

“You’re also giving them a chance to do something so Canadian,” she added, explaining that attending regular swimming lessons and spending time at the local pool is a fond memory for many Winnipeggers. “We’re giving them that gift, they can say they’re going for lessons, (and) they get to come to this beautiful facility.”

The foundation offers lessons on a referral basis, most often from schools. However, people can contact Swim With Me if they know of a family that may benefit from the services.

Tuesday mornings are more so used for teaching school groups, and Friday evenings have classes for both children and adults, most of which are new immigrants. Lessons are available to those aged 4 and up.

Teaching is based on the principle of ‘swim to survive’, which is endorsed by the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba. It is described as “the minimum skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into water.” Swimmers learn how to do a forward roll, 100 metres of front crawl, and a minute of treading water, Hyman said.

“They stay in the program until they can do it without a life jacket,” she continued. “They don’t need to re-register, they can keep coming. If they miss two classes, we check in with the family to make sure things are okay before we give the spot away.”

Each participant receives a towel, goggles, and other essential gear, as well as a healthy snack.

“(My favourite part is) really just how happy each and every one of them is to come to the pool. You can literally see their bodies relax, and they’re so eager and happy to learn. And we have a huge water safety component — It teaches them how to be safe, and we work with parents as well to educate, to really try to prevent drowning.”

“We’re grateful to be able to offer this service, and I know that this pool is happy to be a community sponsor. They’re happy to be able to welcome the foundation participants here. It’s really important — the partnership and working together — it’s all for the same purpose. Preventing drownings and teaching safety.”

The foundation will host a fundraising golf tournament on May 27, in order to sustain its programming

For more information, visit

swimwithme.org