Singapore Aquatics and South East CDC launch swimming programme for vulnerable children and youth

SINGAPORE Aquatics (SAQ) has partnered the South East Community Development Council (CDC) to provide a free learn-to-swim programme to equip children and youth from vulnerable backgrounds with water survival and swimming competency skills.

The 52-week programme was launched by South East District Mayor Fahmi Aliman and SAQ president Mark Chay on Thursday (Jun 22) at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

Called Empowering Lives Through Aquatics, the initiative aims to get participants between the ages of 6 and 14 to complete the first three stages of SwimSafer, a swimming and water safety education programme. It will also serve as a scouting platform for coaches to identify promising aquatic athletes.

Chay said: “The Empowering Lives Through Aquatics Programme is in line with our vision of ‘Every Singaporean a Swimmer’. Swimming is widely regarded as a life skill that everyone, regardless of their background, should have.”

To date, close to 40 children and youth residing in the South East district have signed up for the programme, with plans to reach 100.

Singapore Aquatics hopes to roll out the programme to other districts, involve more affiliates and expand the scope to include other aquatic disciplines over the next three years.