Canadian Red Cross NAHO 2009 National Conference

1. Swimming and Injury Prevention for First
Nations Communities in Ontario
November 2009
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

2. Objectives
• Provide overview of Red Cross Water Safety
resources for First Nations communities
• Share results of pilot program delivering
swimming lessons and leadership training in
First Nations communities
• Share strategies for implementation of injury
prevention, water safety promotion and
education programs in your community
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

3. Program Philosophy
Swimming & Water Safety Goal
Statement
“Improve the quality of life by giving people the
skills to make safe choices, increase physical
fitness, prevent injuries, and act in emergency
and rescue situations.”

4. Presentation Outline
• Injury Prevention Program Philosophy
• Where We Make a Difference
• Working with First Nations Communities - Collaborative
Model
• Program Development
Phase 1 – Research, Consultation and Development
Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons, Water Safety
and Leadership
Phase 3 – Feedback and Evaluation
• Results
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

5. Where We Make a Difference
• Over the past 60 years, we’ve taught more than 30
million Canadians to swim and stay safe
• Our reach through Swimming & Water Safety:
More than 1 million people enrolled per year
21,000 certified as Water Safety Instructors every
year
Thousands of people through our public education
campaigns
3,500 Authorized Providers in communities across
Canada (municipalities, local pools, private pools)

6. Collaborative Model
Safe
Kids
Canada First Nations
• Funding from Ontario Ministry of Health
Promotion
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

7. Program Development
Phase 1 – Research
Consultation and Development
Phase 2 - Delivery
Phase 3 – Feedback and
Evaluation
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

8. Phase 1 – Research, Consultation and
Development
• Review of existing models and resources for injury
prevention education in First Nations communities
• Engage First Nations communities in the process
• Development of Advisory Committee for input into
resource development
• Development of water safety resources for children,
teachers and parents
• Distribution of resources to First Nations communities
in Ontario
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

9. New Resources
• Pamphlets
“S.P.L.A.S.H.E.S into Summer
Safety” pamphlet
“S.L.I.D.E.S. into Winter
Safety” pamphlet
• On-line safety stories
Summer Safety story – “One
Day on a Fishing Trip”
Winter Safety story – “The
Birthday Gift”
• Community Resource Guide
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

10. On-line Resources
One Day on a
Fishing Trip
My name is Chaske and
one of my favourite things to
do is to go fishing.
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

11. On-line Resources
The Birthday Gift
All three stopped in their
tracks. “Did you hear that?”
asked Ashley. Taylor
looked very nervous and
started to look around for a
new direction to turn. He
took another careful step,
but there was another
“CRACK”.
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

12. Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons,
Water Safety and Leadership
• My role as Program Coordinator:
Communicate with pilot communities and develop
promotional materials
Schedule swimming lessons and instructor training
Develop registration process
Arrange transportation
Hire local Water Safety Instructors and Instructor
Trainer
Order and ship program materials, teaching and
safety equipment

13. Phase 2 – Direct Delivery – Swimming Lessons,
Water Safety and Leadership
• Over 100 children in pilot
communities across
Ontario
• 12 young adults from 6
pilot communities
received leadership
training for certification as
Water Safety Instructors
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

14. Phase 3 – Feedback and Evaluation
• Engage with communities using new resources and
education tools to determine strengths and
weaknesses of materials
• Engage with pilot communities to gain feedback
regarding swimming lessons and instructor training
• Assess feedback and incorporate changes into final
documents where possible
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

15. Participant Benefits
Knowledge
• Identify and manage risk safely
• Survival skills and knowledge
Skills
• Improved individual abilities
• Increased physical activity
• Increased muscular strength
Attitude
• Self empowerment, improving
self-esteem
• Fun, enjoyment and participation
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

16. Instructor benefits
• Ability to provide safe
learning opportunities
• Respond to emergencies
• Develop lesson plans
• Skills to work in aquatics
• Knowledge of risk
management and water
safety education
• Communication and
leadership skills
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

17. Benefits to First Nations communities
• Access to water safety education tools and
resources that meet the needs of their
community
• Input into resource development and evaluation
• Engagement with other First Nations community
members to share knowledge and experiences
• Raised community awareness of injury
prevention strategies, water safety promotion
and education
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

18. Feedback
“Swimming and water safety are life skills and something
that these kids will use for their rest of their life.”
~ Parent of swimming participant from Six Nations
“I would like to teach swimming lessons again because I
really liked working with the kids and teaching swimming
skills could save a life.”
~Recently certified Water Safety Instructor from Wasauksing First Nation
“I think that all children who live by a lake should have the
opportunity to learn the basics like treading water and
self safety by the water.”
~Community Contact from Nipissing First Nation
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

19. Results
• Over 100 kids received swimming lessons and water safety
education
• 12 adults received Water Safety Instructor training
• 134 reserves received new water safety and injury prevention
resources
• 87% of parent respondents said that their child’s confidence in
their swimming abilities changed “a lot” or “a huge amount”; 91%
indicated their child’s pride in their abilities changed “a lot” or “a
huge amount”
• 87% of instructor respondents said that the skills and information
learned in the training prepared them to be a swimming instructor
• 100% of community respondents said they would support their
organization’s involvement in a similar program again
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

20. Want more information?
• To access resources on-line visit www.redcross.ca or
www.safekidscanada.ca
• For more information on Red Cross Swimming, Water
Safety and Leadership training in Ontario call 1-888-890-
1997
• Visit our booth at the NAHO Conference
• My contact information:
Maureen O’Neal
Program Representative, Injury Prevention
Ph: 519-570-3323 Email: maureen.oneal@redcross.ca

21. Thank you!
Questions?
© Canadian Red Cross 2008

22. N
W E
S
Red Cross Swim. Swim with the best!