Auckland swim teacher receives national award

YMCA Auckland swim teacher Liam Blain-Caunce has received national recognition for his contributions to aquatic education and water safety by taking out the 2017 AUSTSWIM Aotearoa Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics Award.

Presented on 15th July, Blain-Caunce is the third YMCA Auckland swim teacher to take out the national award in as many years.

YMCA Auckland Swim School Quality Services Manager Karla McCaughan says the recognition is testament to Liam and YMCA Auckland’s commitment to providing a fun and safe learn to swim environment for early learners, stating “drowning is the fourth highest cause of accidental death in New Zealand. Last year three children aged under five drowned (and that’s) three too many.

“It’s a particularly tragic statistic given basic water safety or swimming skills can dramatically reduce a child’s risk of drowning.”

McCaughan sees that Blain-Caunce’s swimming and water safety lessons have had a huge impact on a number of lives, and over his seven years at YMCA Auckland he has empowered hundreds of Kiwi kids with vital water safety skills.

She comments“Liam was commended at the awards ceremony for his ability to engage young children through the use of active water play and enthusiastic water safety presentations at local kindergartens and pre-schools.

“We congratulate Liam on his achievement and are thrilled to see his skills and dedication to his teaching have been recognised at the highest level.”

Improving access to water safety skills and swimming lessons
McCaughan says one of the biggest barriers to parents enrolling infants or pre-schoolers in swimming lessons is the perception that the cost is not worthwhile until a child is older and shows an interest in taking up swimming as a social activity or sport.

McCaughan adds “we often forget that water safety and basic swimming skills are for everyone, regardless of whether they have an interest in swimming.

“In the same way we teach our children to not touch hot objects, we should be teaching kids to avoid water if there’s no adult around, or empowering them with life-long skills they can use should they get into trouble in the water.”

To improve access to infant and preschool swimming lessons, YMCA Auckland has partnered with community not-for-profit organisation Plunket to offer half-price swimming lessons to Plunket clients with children aged three months to five years.

The lessons are available Mondays to Fridays between 9am and 3pm at four YMCA managed aquatic centres: Onehunga War Memorial Pool, Lagoon Pool and Leisure Centre (Panmure), Glen Innes Pool and Leisure Centre and Cameron Pool and Leisure Centre (Mt Roskill).

AUSTSWIM Aotearoa award finalists
YMCA Auckland facilities and staff were also finalists in four other AUSTSWIM Aotearoa award categories:

• Ben O'Mara (Onehunga War Memorial Pools and Leisure Centre) - AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety
• Helen Vann (Lagoon Pool and Leisure Centre) - AUSTSWIM Teacher of Aquatics Access and Inclusion
• Kim Males (Glen Innes Pool and Leisure Centre) - AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety
• Cameron Pool and Leisure Centre - AUSTSWIM Swim Centre of the Year

Image: YMCA Auckland swim teacher Liam Blain-Caunce.

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11th November 2016 - YMCA NEW ZEALAND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE

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