Activities

They are an extension of the SSA learn to swim programme in that they enable children in areas that do not have facilities to also learn to swim. They are plastic pools that are installed in a standard classroom with a heating system that uses solar panels. There must be qualified instructors that would conduct the learn to swim lessons.

The porta pool allows the children to be water safe and to be able to swim but as soon as the children are able to swim they must be taken to the big pool for strength and stroke correction.

There are children that can now swim comfortably in a 50m pool when they initial start was in a porta pool. To be able to teach South Africans to swim and drastically reduce drowning all schools without swimming facilities must have a porta pool.

Water safety education is a classroom based tool used to equip children, communities and South Africans at large with the necessary know, knowledge regarding safety in and outside water.

Water safety education can be done anywhere where people can sit and listen. It is innovate in its nature as it allows children to sing, recite, do role plays and puppet shows as they engage with the water safety presenters. The interactive approach is important as it creates fun and interest for the audience especially school children. The material comes in different African languages to cater for our Rainbow Nation.

The lessons are supported by promotional material that can be send home e.g. pamphlets, brochures, game boards, bumper stickers and sunscreen creams. Water education allows Swimming South Africa to reach out to al South African by sending the one life saving message.

Is a continuation of the awareness programme mainly conducted to expose people in the coastal areas to the reality of drowning in the ocean, ideally to be conducted during the festive season.

People around the country mainly visit the ocean during the festive season and their main priority is to have fun. The programme carries through what people want which is fun but that is combined with safety which is far more crucial. SSA would attract from children to adults to be part of the ocean splash activity which will start off with water safety education followed by a variety of fun activities in the water like wading, duck diving, catch a wave, boogie boarding, flags etc.

Caters for people in the rural areas that are exposed to water in the following forms:

• Rivers
• Lakes
• Dams

All of the above are used on a daily basis for survival in the form of drinking, doing washing, for crossing to the next village which where the clinic or hospital is and for entertainment etc and unfortunately people are often exposed to danger as they perform any of the above. If there is too much rain then it is a struggle as people struggle to use what they use on a daily basis and in the process people drown. The rural splash programme exposes people to safety measures in their own environment while enjoying the benefits of having a river within easy access.

Swimming South Africa is always seeking the assistance of people who have the swimming knowledge to qualify as LTS instructors that can be deployed at pools where SSA have programs to assist with the running of LTS with schools.

Alternatively LTS programs can be initiated at pools where there is nothing happening and the assistance of volunteers in that regard would be appreciated. The more volunteers we the easier it would be to reach out to a majority of South African.

Off season there is also a need for volunteers that can go out and conduct water safety education talks at schools all over the country and this aggressive approach can save many lives. Material is given to schools to drive and enhance awareness.

Clubs create a clear pathway from water safety/ learn to swim to club development programme which is equipped to provide the necessary skills that would transform aquatics. Qualified coaches and 2 instructors per club are placed at all the club development sites. Mentorship programs have been formulated between the well established clubs and the new clubs from the previously disadvantaged areas as a formula to ensure sustainability of the clubs in the future.

The programme aims to close disparities created in the past as the programme identifies achieving clubs from the previously disadvantaged communities by providing club and athlete support. The programme also capacitates communities to take ownership of the clubs by forming sustainable club executive structures that would promote aquatics. The clubs have a clear mandate aligned with the National school sport strategy of ensuring that all learners participate in sports on a particular day.

The clubs are expected to host a gala and to also coordinate inter-house and intra-school galas within their area.

The following are the SSA developmental clubs:

• Superfins - CGA
• Piranhas - Border
• Paarl Aquarius - Western Cape
• Soweto Aquatics - CGA
• Attridgeville - NTS
• Umlazi Sharks - KZN