Cape Town - The Learn to Swim initiative, which started at Athlone public swimming pool, aims to teach children from four nearby schools essential water safety mechanisms and important life skills.
Athlone ward councillor Rashid Adams introduced the programme as a way to empower youth and tackle issues facing the community.
“We need to provide alternative solutions to the problems we are currently having, and sport unfortunately is very much underplayed within our communities and schools.
“Our programme intends to focus on the development of our youth. We will also be incorporating basic life skills to teach children about who they are and what they need to do to be better people. There is something better than standing on the street, better than idealising somebody who is involved in bad things,” he said.
Adams said he wanted the programme to equip learners with a mindset that could be used in daily life.
“I’m hoping this programme will instil a certain type of discipline among our youth, because being in the pool you have to act and respond to the instruction of whoever is teaching you, and with that process in mind we hope the children will be able to to take it outside the pool and adapt to it when they are at home and at school,” he said.
The programme is supported by the City of Cape Town as part of its investment in youth development. The City’s lifeguards will teach 50 children from partnering schools swimming, water awareness and basic first aid.
Mayco member for Community Services and Health Patricia van der Ross said: “There have been 19 drownings at our beaches over the festive season alone. The cause of many of these incidents was because of swimmers getting caught in rip currents or swimming outside designated areas. We should not underestimate the impact of these programmes, which may lead to many lives being saved in future.”
Participating schools include Athlone North Primary, Silverlea Primary, Peak View High and Ned Doman High.
Athlone North Primary School principal Tristan Brikkels said: “We are trying to expose our kids to as many things as possible. Some of our kids have never been to the beach. The swimming pool is open but parents don’t allow the kids to go because of bad elements in the community.
“With this, the kids will learn to overcome their fear of being in the water because some of the kids are scared of swimming, but they are really looking forward to it.”
Learners will be transported to Athlone’s pool twice a week, where they will participate in lessons for two hours until the season concludes.