Young lives are being transformed in the water as drowning prevention charity SwimTayka officially launches its first-ever pilot programme in the UK.
The Swindon-based programme is aimed at equipping children with swimming skills and essential water confidence.
SwimTayka is a drowning prevention charity that works to provide free swimming lessons and water safety education to children living near open water.
The organisation supports drowning prevention through grant-giving and by matching skilled volunteers - such as volunteer swimming instructors - to specific programme needs.
Until now, all of SwimTayka’s work has operated overseas in countries such as Peru, Brazil, and Indonesia. This new initiative marks the charity's first step towards bringing its support to vulnerable young people in the UK.
In partnership with Swindon-based charity Youth Adventure Trust, three young people have been selected to take part in the pioneering initiative, which is delivered by a local Swindon swim school through tailored, one-to-one tuition.
Debbie Adams, SwimTayka’s UK programme manager, said: “We are thrilled to launch our very first UK programme.
"Having seen the life-changing impact of our work overseas, bringing vital water safety skills to young people in the UK is a huge milestone for us. Seeing the positive progress these students are already making is incredibly inspiring, and we look forward to expanding our reach even further.”
The initial series of lessons focuses on safety and building confidence around water, with the current phase running through until Christmas.
Feedback has already been overwhelmingly positive both from instructors and participants.
Following this initial success, two additional organisations are already in discussions with SwimTayka about bringing the programme to other regions across the UK.
More information about SwimTayka can be found at https://swimtayka.org/
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