What We Do

Our goal: Eliminate drownings through water safety education, awareness and by teaching swimming skills.

We invented Group Swimming Instruction over a century ago. Now we offer Water Safety Instruction, too.

The YMCA offers five, 40-minute water safety sessions led by YMCA-certified aquatics instructors in our safe, lifeguarded YMCA pools. The main focus of the instruction is simple: we want to educate youth on how to stay safe around water. These are not traditional or comprehensive “swim lessons.” Rather, during these classes the children learn how to be safe around lakes, pools, rivers and streams. They will learn personal water safety techniques, as well as what to do if they see someone else needing help around water.