Central Alberta teen launches non-profit ‘Swimming for All’ to offer free lessons

Applications to participate are welcome from families across the region, with eligibility based on income. Kids ages 4-16 are the target audience.

“Swimming is more than just a recreational activity. It is an essential life skill that can prevent drowning, build confidence, and create opportunities for lifelong participation in aquatic activities,” the teen says.

“I have seen firsthand how important swimming and water safety education can be. Founding this non-profit has been a way for me to give back to the community while helping ensure that financial barriers do not prevent children from learning skills that could one day save their lives.”

More about Swimming for All and its free lessons can be found here.

Notably, National Drowning Prevention Week in Canada runs July 19-25.

“Having attended the Lifesaving Society Annual General Meeting, I’ve learned just how important water safety education is,” says Negm.

“I truly believe that swimming isn’t just a sport, but really a life-saving skill that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, regardless of their family’s financial situation, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to make possible.”

On that subject, Alberta Blue Cross just released its 2025 National Drowning Report.

The report, which looks at the organization’s most recent five-year reported period, which in this case is 2017-2021, notes there were 502 fatalities across Canada in 2021. Along with 2020, those two years had the most fatalities annually than the rest of the decade prior.

Just shy of 80 per cent of drownings involve males, and a shade under one-quarter are between the ages of 20-34.

The most common place for a drowning to take place is a lake or pond at 36 per cent, and two out of three happen between May and September.

More take place during swimming or wading activities than any other circumstance, at 26 per cent. Of them, 23 per cent took place while boating, 18 per cent were non-aquatic (falling in while walking/playing), and 14 per cent were during bathing.

And for all that involved a child under five, in 94 per cent of the cases, supervision was absent.

For those ages 15-34, 78 per cent of the time, the person wasn’t wearing a lifejacket, which is the most common reason among all age groups aside from children under five. Alcohol consumption, being alone, or being a weak swimmer were also factors.

The theme for this year’s Drowning Prevention Week is ‘Safety starts with being water smart.’

Alberta RCMP and the Lifesaving Society offer the following tips:

Wear a lifejacket. Wear a lifejacket while boating, doing water sports, and if you can’t swim.
Supervise children and non-swimmers. Keep children and non-swimmers within arms’ reach when in and around bodies of water.
Stay sober around water. Never operate a boat, or go swimming, when tired or impaired.
Be aware. Be mindful of water conditions, such as strong currents. Rivers can have risks like moving water, undercurrents, changing depth, and entrapment hazards.
Never go alone. Do not operate a boat or go swimming alone, and don’t overestimate your swimming abilities. Always have a spotter in the boat when towing someone during water sports.
Learn to swim. Many drownings occur when a person unexpectedly falls into a body of water.
Protect your neck. Never dive into shallow water. If you’re unsure of the water’s depth, enter feet first.
Consider high-visibility swimwear. Bright, high-contrast colours can be more easily seen in the water.

For more Water Smart Education, visit lifesaving.org/public-education.

by Josh Hall

Central Alberta teen launches non-profit ‘Swimming for All’ to offer free lessons

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