Programs
Program Areas
Summer Programs
Our summer camp program partners with the United Methodist Church Metro Board, Abyssinian Baptist Church, and Stenton Park Recreation to give Philadelphia youth an in-community aquatic experience.
Through this collaborative program, campers learn to navigate different bodies of water while building community connection - ranging from professional swim instruction and water safety to fishing adventures and outdoor learning.
Registration opens seasonally
Youth workforce pipeline
Through our $1,200 paid swim-and-certification program, we offer teens (ages 15–17) much more than lifeguard skills—we offer a village. We serve as a supportive third space where youth can study during downtime, build their resumes, and learn smart scheduling around exams. Plus, with community partners under the same roof, we track report cards and attendance to ensure every teen has the academic support they need to succeed.
Youth applications coming soon
Home and Water Safety Initiative
The "Village at the Water" Initiative is a community-driven violence prevention and workforce development program dedicated to reclaiming Philadelphia’s public pools as Safe Havens. This 4.5-month program focuses on "The Bridge"—selecting a cohort of parents who demonstrate initial swim competency in at least one stroke, guiding them through a rigorous stroke-refinement curriculum, and enrolling them in the Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Course.
Through this training, parents learn all six swim strokes and establish a "Watering Hole" fellowship, transforming into a unified front of Capable Guardians for the city’s youth. Participants graduate as certified swim educators equipped to promote water safety across Philadelphia communities, and receive a $1,000 stipend upon completion.
Application coming soon!
Expanding access and essential skills
Right now, our immediate focus is addressing the critical lifeguard shortage in Philadelphia and training new Water Safety Instructors to keep our pools open.
However, we view this pipeline as the path toward more community swim lessons. As we successfully reduce these shortages and rebuild our city's aquatic workforce, we will be able to dedicate even more time and resources to community swim lessons.
Parallel to this, we are actively advocating to get Philadelphia's other indoor public pools open. Our goal is to ensure that as we train new lifeguards and Water Safety Instructors, they can be deployed to create vital, year-round swim opportunities in every single neighborhood.
In the meantime, we are committed to offering swim lessons for both children and adults whenever possible.
Adult and youth applications coming soon!
Questions about our programs? Reach out any time.
