Making Swimming Accessible

Swimming Victoria
Published: May 4, 2012 05:12:51 PM Updated: Jun 25, 2012 04:15:41 PM

Swimming Victoria is excited to offer AUSTSWIM’s Making Aquatics a Terrific Experience Community Seminar (MATE); an innovative and interactive community seminar aimed at optimising health and wellness opportunities for people with medical conditions and/or disabilities.

The MATE seminar provides participants with the information, skills and confidence to take a person with a medical condition and/or disability to the pool for recreation activities. It is not about swimming strokes, it is a guide to encouraging and facilitating physical activity for people who do not always have the opportunity to participate in aquatic activity. The community seminar is suitable for: Family Member, Parents, Partners, Friends, Siblings, Support Person or Carers: Personal Assistant, Personal Trainer and Disability Leader.

The MATE Seminar offers:

• Comprehensive notes;
• Real life scenarios;
• Simulation exercises;
• Aquatic activities to use in an inclusive setting;
• Networking with like-minded people.

Through Swimming Victoria’s SSAPP (State Sporting Association Participation Program) funding from VicHealth, Swimming Victoria aims to increase participation in community sport and active recreation, particularly among the disability community, with the aim of creating safe, accessible, inclusive and equitable sporting environments for all in our swimming community. We are currently working with 15 swim schools that have a keen interest in becoming more inclusive and to engage in Training and Education to the further development of their swim school staff.

Swimming Victoria is offering a MATE seminar on Sunday 17^th June at the Richmond Recreation Centre, in line with the SWD Talent ID Program.

For more details, or to register, please contact: Sophie Young, Sport Development Administrator, T: 03 9926 1408, E: sophie.young@vic.swimming.org.au  or visit www.swimmingvictoria.org.au for more information.