Swimming and Injury Prevention for First Nations Communities in Ontario

© Canadian Red Cross 2008

Swimming and Injury Prevention for First

Nations Communities in Ontario

November 2009

Objectives

• Provide overview of Red Cross Water Safety

resources for First Nations communities

• Share results of pilot program delivering

swimming lessons and leadership training in

First Nations communities

• Share strategies for implementation of injury

prevention, water safety promotion and

education programs in your community


Program Philosophy

Swimming & Water Safety Goal

Statement

“Improve the quality of life by giving people the

skills to make safe choices, increase physical

fitness, prevent injuries, and act in emergency

and rescue situations.”


Presentation Outline

• Injury Prevention Program Philosophy

• Where We Make a Difference

• Working with First Nations Communities - Collaborative

Model

• Program Development

Phase 1 – Research, Consultation and Development

Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons, Water Safety

and Leadership

Phase 3 – Feedback and Evaluation

• Results

Where We Make a Difference

• Over the past 60 years, we’ve taught more than 30

million Canadians to swim and stay safe

• Our reach through Swimming & Water Safety:

More than 1 million people enrolled per year

21,000 certified as Water Safety Instructors every

year

Thousands of people through our public education

campaigns

3,500 Authorized Providers in communities across

Canada (municipalities, local pools, private pools)


Collaborative Model

• Funding from Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion

First Nations

Safe Kids

Canada

Program Development

Phase 1 – Research Consultation and Development

Phase 2 - Delivery




Phase 1 – Research, Consultation and

Development

• Review of existing models and resources for injury

prevention education in First Nations communities

• Engage First Nations communities in the process

• Development of Advisory Committee for input into

resource development

• Development of water safety resources for children,

teachers and parents

• Distribution of resources to First Nations communities

in Ontario


New Resources

• Pamphlets

“S.P.L.A.S.H.E.S into Summer

Safety” pamphlet

“S.L.I.D.E.S. into Winter

Safety” pamphlet

• On-line safety stories

Summer Safety story – “One

Day on a Fishing Trip”

Winter Safety story – “The

Birthday Gift”

• Community Resource Guide


On-line Resources

One Day on a

Fishing Trip

My name is Chaske and

one of my favourite things to

do is to go fishing.


On-line Resources

The Birthday Gift

All three stopped in their

tracks. “Did you hear that?”

asked Ashley. Taylor

looked very nervous and

started to look around for a

new direction to turn. He

took another careful step,

but there was another

“CRACK”.

Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons,

Water Safety and Leadership

• My role as Program Coordinator:

Communicate with pilot communities and develop promotional materials

Schedule swimming lessons and instructor training

Develop registration process

Arrange transportation

Hire local Water Safety Instructors and Instructor Trainer

Order and ship program materials, teaching and safety equipment


Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons,

Water Safety and Leadership

• Over 100 children in pilot communities across Ontario

• 12 young adults from 6 pilot communities received leadership training for certification as Water Safety Instructors



• Engage with communities using new resources and

education tools to determine strengths and

weaknesses of materials

• Engage with pilot communities to gain feedback

regarding swimming lessons and instructor training

• Assess feedback and incorporate changes into final

documents where possible


Participant Benefits

Knowledge

• Identify and manage risk safely

• Survival skills and knowledge

Skills

• Improved individual abilities

• Increased physical activity

• Increased muscular strength

Attitude

• Self empowerment, improving

self-esteem

• Fun, enjoyment and participation


Instructor benefits

• Ability to provide safe

learning opportunities

• Respond to emergencies

• Develop lesson plans

• Skills to work in aquatics

• Knowledge of risk

management and water

safety education

• Communication and

leadership skills


Benefits to First Nations communities

• Access to water safety education tools and

resources that meet the needs of their

community

• Input into resource development and evaluation

• Engagement with other First Nations community

members to share knowledge and experiences

• Raised community awareness of injury

prevention strategies, water safety promotion

and education


Feedback

“Swimming and water safety are life skills and something that these kids will use for their rest of their life.”

~ Parent of swimming participant from Six Nations

“I would like to teach swimming lessons again because I really liked working with the kids and teaching swimming

skills could save a life.”~Recently certified Water Safety Instructor from Wasauksing First Nation

“I think that all children who live by a lake should have the opportunity to learn the basics like treading water and

self safety by the water.”~Community Contact from Nipissing First Nation


Results

• Over 100 kids received swimming lessons and water safety education

• 12 adults received Water Safety Instructor training

• 134 reserves received new water safety and injury prevention resources

• 87% of parent respondents said that their child’s confidence in their swimming abilities changed “a lot” or “a huge amount”; 91% indicated their child’s pride in their abilities changed “a lot” or “a huge amount”

• 87% of instructor respondents said that the skills and information learned in the training prepared them to be a swimming instructor

• 100% of community respondents said they would support their organization’s involvement in a similar program again

Want more information?

• To access resources on-line visit www.redcross.ca or

www.safekidscanada.ca

• For more information on Red Cross Swimming, Water

Safety and Leadership training in Ontario call 1-888-890-

1997

• Visit our booth at the NAHO Conference

• My contact information:

Maureen O’Neal

Program Representative, Injury Prevention

Ph: 519-570-3323 Email: [email protected]

http://www.redcross.ca/

http://www.safekidscanada.ca/


Thank you!

Questions?

N

S

W E

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Health & Medicine

Swimming and Injury Prevention for First Nations Communities in Ontario