The first national YMCA swimming program was developed in 1906 and since then, generations of Canadians have learned to swim in YMCAs across the country.

YMCA Canada’s National Aquatics program is built on a base of Healthy Child Development/Healthy Adolescent Development, service standards, and YMCA core values.

The YMCA swim program goes beyond helping to teach children water safety and to swim. It also emphasizes developing a sense of self, learning to respect and care about others, and feeling good about one’s accomplishments. It’s part of the spirit, mind, and body approach we’ve used for over 150 years.

YMCA Canada is the certifying body for YMCA Swim Instructors. This is delivered through local YMCAs, these are the YMCAs where you will take your YMCA Swim Instructor Course and perhaps be hired to teach with them. Your course is delivered by a YMCA Champion, this is an individual who has Subject Matter Expertise (SME) and has taken and successfully completed the YMCA Canada Champion program through the Program Leadership System.

What will I learn through the YMCA Swim Instructor Course?

• The YMCAs way for working with children, teens and young adults.
• Swimming progressions, formations, skill development and the concept of E.G.G.S.
• A collection of teaching techniques to apply to different scenarios you may experience during your teaching.
• Your support system, other instructors, your trainer, your supervisor/lead, resources available to you and where to find them.

What does the YMCA Swim Instructor course look like?

There are 3 parts to complete to become a certified YMCA Swim Instructor:

1. The E-Learning- 4 hours self-directed. This training has 4 sections and should take you a total of about 4 hours. It sets the base of how we teach swimming at the YMCA and gives you an overview of the program which you will use later in the course.

2. The In The Water Training- This training is 7-8 sections and will take place in the water and will involve you actively teaching the skills and activities found throughout the YMCA Swim Program. You will also have the opportunity to observe and/or co-teach a few classes.

3. In the Classroom/Facilitated Online Training- This training has 3 sections. Your Champion will go through and help you understand, in more detail, the expectations of a YMCA Swim Instructor, what happens next, how you re-certify and a review of content from the e-learning module in greater detail.

To learn more on becoming a Swim Instructor or Lifeguard, click Lifeguard Pathway.

Prerequisites: 15 years of age and Bronze Cross
Maximum 8 participants

Registration Required

When: Contact joshua.white@nl.ymca.ca to express interest.

Where: Online & practical sessions in your YMCA branch

Fees:

• Member Fee: $150 + tax
• Non-member Fee: $175 + tax

How to register:

• Online Portal (ymcanl.com)
• In-person at the Central Labrador YMCA
• Phone (1-709-896-9622)

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is the support provided to a person who may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis. Course participants will learn how to recognize signs that a person may be experiencing a decline in their mental well-being or a mental health crisis and encourage that person to:

• Talk about declines in their mental well-being
• Discuss professional and other supports that could help with recovery to improved mental well-being
• Reach out to these support
• Assist in a mental health or substance use crisis
• Use MHFA actions to maintain one’s own mental well-being

This 9.5-hour course opens with a self-directed module (Module 1) that focuses on the information and strategies that participants will discuss and practice throughout the virtual classroom modules (Modules 2 and 3).Course participants are required to complete Module 1 before participating in Module 2 and 3.

Upon registration, participants will receive access to the “MHFA Participant Reference Guide” that outlines MHFA actions for developing mental health and substance use problems, and mental health and substance use crises. Each participant must have a computer, a working camera, microphone and speakers or earphones, access to a good Internet connection, and an e-mail address.

Registration information:

• Member: $200 per person + HST
• Non Member: $225 per person + HST
• Group rates available. For details and to book your course dates contact Krista Payne at krista.payne@nl.ymca.ca
• Minimum of 8 and maximum of 15 participants for online delivery
• Registration must be completed two weeks before delivery date

For more information about the course click here.