Beach Rookies 2018
What an incredible week we have just had with the largest group of children we have ever had for our Beach Rookies Course. This year totalling an incredible twenty five children.
The equipment for the course was funded by Wightaid and gave the group of children the chance to experience lifeguard skills, learn about and respect the water, meet everyday heroes, gain qualifications and have an incredible week of fun activities, whilst working towards their RLSS Rookie Awards. Each child who entered the course was pre-assessed to be able to swim at least 25 metres competently and be over the age of 8 in order to participate.
The course took place on Ryde Esplanade Beach just down from the Waterside Pool and in the pool itself. Skills included lessons in valuable survival, rescue and sports skills…all delivered in an exciting way that got all the children involved and motivated. For many of our Rookie Lifeguards, the programme offered the first opportunity to explore water safety, gradually gaining independence and confidence while learning vital life skills. The programme inspired and emboldened the children, helping them keep themselves, their friends and their family safe in the water through a range of fun activities that lead towards a series of awards.All children find they make new friends too through the RLSS Rookie Lifeguard scheme, as teamwork and peer support are crucial elements of the programme.
The RLSS Rookie Lifeguard programme is aimed specifically at children, though the skills learned through the course of the programme are just as valuable to people of all ages. The scheme begins with Stage 1 of the Bronze Award and progresses to Stage 3 of the Gold Award, starting off at an ability level suitable for brand-new swimmers and progressing to the level where our Rookie Lifeguards perform impressive lifesaving tows.
The Rookie Lifeguard programme is part of the Swim England Learn to Swim Programme and The Rookie Lifeguard Water Safety Award fulfils all of the Key Stage 2 water safety elements of the National Curriculum and is taught by RLSS UK approved instructors. The Waterside Pool course was run by Todd Miller, Becca Woodford and Hannah Coulson Kurowski, allof whom are highly trained and qualified in RLSS Pool and Beach Lifeguard Training and were part of the team who delivered the Swim Safe Programme in Sandown this summer with the RNLI.
The children also got to meet the team at Ryde Inshore Rescue, visit their premises and learn what it takes to be a lifesaver with the dangers that the sea can produce.
We thank everyone for their support of this course, especially The Wightaid Foundation (https://www.wightaid.org) and Ryde Inshore Rescue (https://www.rydeinshorerescue.com) and of course our instructors. Without this for mentioned support this course would not be possible. This course has been so vital for the education of water safety. The children were able to be part of team, have autonomy to make important decisions, gain a qualification, be an rookie lifeguard and have fun all at the same time. We hope it has given our young candidates the skills, the drive and determination to aspire to be the next generation of lifesavers and everyday heroes.
@wightaid @rydeinshorerescue #wightaid #rydeinshorerescue @rydewaterside #rydewaterside #watersidepool #beachrookies
