Ready to Respond

The Y believes that developing proper swim skills significantly reduces the risk of water-related accidents, encourages a healthy lifestyle, and builds confidence in and around the water. According to the International Life Saving Federation, 1.2 million people around the world die by drowning every year and from that more than 50 percent are children. Whether playing in a backyard pool, splashing in a bathtub, or cooling off during the summer months at the beach, it just takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, check a fishing line, or apply sunscreen.

At the Y we define Safety Around Water as a life skill and teaching children how to swim, and be safe in and around water, is one of the most important life skills parents can help their children learn. Because of our reach and long history with aquatics programmes, the YMCA is in a unique position to help bridge the gap in the delivery of water safety education in the Cayman Islands, particularly for those with limited access.

OUR WORK: Swimming has been an integral part of our programmes since the Y first offered Day Camp in 2014. Staff and volunteers working directly in the pool receive annual water safety and lifeguard training and in 2018 the Y hired an Aquatics & Swim Skill Specialist to meet the growing demand for aquatics based programming. In 2019, levelled training was introduced to further develop the skills and knowledge of our aquatics personnel. Over 60 youth participated in group swim lessons, while over 225 youth benefited from swim and water safety instruction through the Extended After-School Programme. That same year, 285+ swim skill assessments were completed within the Day Camp programme alone, representing 34% growth in this area. In 2020, despite limited in person programming due to COVID-19, 185+ swim assessments were completed and 170+ children learned to swim.

First Aid & CPR/AED training helps develop the necessary skills to keep children safe and the confidence required to step in to help when an emergency occurs. Those trained in emergency response are better equipped to manage risk, identify hazards and be alert to dangers both at home or in the community. The American Heart Association indicates that 70 percent of Americans may feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they either do not know how to administer CPR or their training has significantly lapsed.

To ensure the safety of all participants at the YMCA, emergency response training is required of all staff. In 2018, the YMCA of the Cayman Islands established itself an ASHI Training Centre; providing staff and volunteers with an internationally recognised certification, valid for up to 2 years. In 2019, 39 staff and volunteers received their certification in Basic First Aid & CPR/AED and in 2020 this number grew by over 60%; resulting in 65+ staff and volunteers successfully completing their certification through the Y. In addition, general safety and risk management training is provided within Day Camp orientation and is a regular training topic offered through the YMCA’s Annual Leaders for Youth Conference.