“Well, as we know every year there are drownings. We don’t like to talk about it, but it does happen,” said Miriam Turyamwijuka a settlement co-ordinator with Portage Learning and Literacy Centre.<\/div>\n
“A large population of those cases are newcomers to Canada.”<\/div>\n
“It kind of came out of a tragedy, a few well-known members of the newcomer community, there were a couple of drowning incidents that had happened recently in Winnipeg,” said Ranju Upadhyaya, community connections co-ordinator for PLLC.<\/div>\n
“A few of the mothers wanted to get swimming lessons for their kids, and we had talked about arranging a program for that.” <\/div>\n
In partnership with PLLC, the Portage Regional Recreation Authority and Recreation Opportunities for Kids Central have started the Splashing Good Time sessions at the Shindleman Aquatic Centre in Stride Place. The program meant for kids aged five to 12 featured its first two sessions on Nov. 4 and Nov. 18 and will continue on Nov. 25 and Dec. 2, 9 and 16. <\/div>\n
“The amount of interest was greater than we thought so we split it into two sessions,” Upadhyaya explained.<\/div>\n
“The first session has 16 kids and the second session has the other group of 16 kids.”<\/div>\n
On each of those days, the first group is scheduled from 5 to 5:50 p.m. and the second group is scheduled from 5:55 to 6:45 p.m. In the first 15 minutes, families can join their children in the water for a casual swim, and then in the last 30 minutes a formal swimming lesson is instructed for kids with the lifeguards. <\/div>\n
“We kind of thought what a great opportunity for the same kids to take it throughout,” Upadhyaya told The Headliner.<\/div>\n
“This is kind of a controlled environment for them to get in the water, learn a few strategies and families are also welcome to swim when the kids are having a formal swimming lesson.”<\/div>\n
Turyamwijuka explained that in recent years, new immigrant families often have saltwater swimming experience which varies from swimming in freshwater lakes leaving some with no formal training.<\/div>\n
“Saltwater helps you float, when people are used to swimming in saltwater, they’re used to more buoyancy than freshwater has, so suddenly they are in our freshwater lakes and they don’t expect it,” Turyamwijuka added.<\/div>\n
“Some of that safety is a huge concern and something that a lot of Canadians may take for granted because they grew up with swimming lessons being a huge part of their childhood.”<\/div>\n
The co-ordinators for PLLC said it was a program they wanted to offer as a continuation of their summer youth engagement camp which offered swimming lessons previously. <\/div>\n
“We’re all seeing in our own role the need for newcomer families to kind of learn to get comfortable in the water but also techniques to help keep safe in the water,” Upadhyaya said. <\/div>\n
“A few of the drowning incidents did kind of create a fear of water, so we’re trying to combat that but also trying to make it seem that swimming is fun and a way to stay active in the winter.”<\/div>\n
For Upadhyaya, creating the program was one of many roles she has enjoyed while engaging new women, seniors and youth who have moved to the community.<\/div>\n
“Honestly, it’s cliché but I love the connection part of it, I have a lot of clients that I work with that have come back and said they now feel a part of the community,” Upadhyaya said.<\/div>\n
“It’s my job to connect them with resources, making sure any language or gender barrier doesn’t get in their way.”<\/div>\n
In the new year, PLLC would like to offer a swimming program dedicated to newcomer women who may not feel comfortable learning how to swim with others around.<\/div>\n
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