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Become a Volunteer! We are always looking for volunteers to join our instructor team! Why join S.W.A.M.? It's a great opportunity to get involved in the community and pass on water safety skills to children in need. We're a team of like-minded people, and many lasting friendships are made beyond the S.W.A.M. program. You'll have access to training focused on accessibility and leadership skills development. Experience and learn alongside the kids! Requirements Most of our instructors are undergraduate and graduate students, but we welcome anyone aged 16 and over! Aquatic certification or experience is not required, although it is an asset. A Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) is required before entering the pool. If you haven't obtained one in the last six months, send an e-mail to montreal@swamcanada.ca to receive a letter allowing you to obtain one free of charge from the SPVM. If you are under 18, send an e-mail to montreal@swamcanada.ca to receive a declaration of offence form, which will replace the VSV. If you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, your study permit will be accepted. A swim test will be carried out during instructor training to assess comfort in the water. Click here to apply! Feel free to email montreal@swamcanada.ca if you have any questions! S.W.A.M. Montréal Volunteers

SWAM Montréal's mission is to provide affordable and accessible one-on-one swimming instruction to children with disabilities. 1/4 S wimming W ith a M ission Montréal SWAM Montréal's mission is to provide affordable and accessible one-on-one swimming instruction to children with disabilities. Read More Our Lessons S.W.A.M. organizes individual swimming lessons for children with disabilities aged 3 to 18. Swimmers work with volunteer instructors according to their own goals, from developing comfort in the water to perfecting their swimming techniques. Our goal is to help swimmers establish a positive relationship with the water and improve their water safety skills. Please note S.W.A.M. lessons are not affiliated with the Cégep du Vieux Montréal or the City of Montréal Click here to learn more about how the program works The Pool *Please do not call the pool, S.W.A.M. is not a Cégep du Vieux Montréal or a City of Montréal program. Cégep du Vieux Montréal The Cégep du Vieux Montréal pool is located at 255 Ontario Street East, just a stone's throw from Saint-Laurent metro station, in the heart of downtown. The pool features a 50 m semi-Olympic pool that can be divided into two 25 m pools with six lanes. The water is maintained at 29°C (84°F) and depths vary from around 1.0 m to 3.7 m, making it suitable for both young swimmers and more technical activities. The pool has universal changing rooms. Volunteers All our instructors and management are volunteers. Comprised largely of university students, our team's mission is to provide all children with an accessible, safe and, above all, fun swimming environment. With a wealth of experience and training, our team adapts its teaching to the needs of each swimmer, fostering confidence and fun in the water. Our volunteers speak several languages, enabling us to welcome families from all backgrounds. The whole team looks forward to sharing their passion for swimming and seeing each child progress at his or her own pace. Click here to get involved! Subscribe to Our Mailing List Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

Help us grow the program! First name Last name Email Are you supporting someone specific? Enter the amount you wish to contribute: C$ Comments Donate Thank you for your support! *Please note that S.W.A.M. is a registered not-for-profit organization so all receipts are not tax-deductible. FUNDRAISING We dream big at S.W.A.M. Montréal. Learn more about our future goals! As we do not want to raise registration fees, please help us meet the rising costs of programming and pool access! Setting up a support program to reduce the cost of courses for families in need. In particular, we want to reserve places for children with disabilities who are newcomers to Canada, to enable them and their families to acquire essential water safety skills. We will soon be launching the “Support a Student” program on our website and course payment page. This program will raise funds to cover part of the registration fees of another participant in need. Expansion to new pools in Montreal to accommodate more participants and volunteers. Our goal is to offer this program free of charge to SWAM community members who need it. We welcome all contributions to help make this dream a reality! Upcoming events!! On March 29, teams of SWAM Montréal volunteers will swim one length (25 m) for every $5 raised to support the program. Funds raised will help keep registration fees low and purchase more equipment, such as adaptive life jackets and sensory water games. If you would like to support the event, please fill in the donation form on this page or send an electronic transfer to montreal@swamcanada.ca . Many thanks to the SWAM community for their support! If you'd like to participate as a swimmer, check out our Instagram page for more information! SWAM-A-THON

Our Lessons S.W.A.M. runs one-on-one swimming lessons for kids aged 3-16 years with a wide variety of special needs. Swimmers work with volunteer instructors on their own goals, anything from getting comfortable in the water to perfecting strokes. Our goal is to help swimmers build a positive relationship with the water and improve water safety skills. Further details about the program are below. Lesson Format Lessons are 30 minutes, once a week. There is no specific curriculum so instructors will work with the kiddos on their specific needs. For example, comfort in the water, mobility, or stroke improvement. * Please note that the volunteer instructors may not have official aquatics certifications but they do recieve training through S.W.A.M. Times For Fall 2025, lessons will run Sunday mornings the Cégep du Vieux Montréal Pool. Start, End and Exception dates will be made available when registration is announced. Registration Registration is done on a first come, first serve basis. Classes will be made available on the registration section of this website at a predetermined time that will be advertised on the site and through the mailing list. * Please note that the demand for the program far exceeds our capacity, so a spot is not guaranteed. Pool Classes are held at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal pool in the Ville-Marie district. The pool is fully accessible, with in-water railings and elevators for entry and exit. Languages We offer lessons in French and English. Should the participant speak another language that one of our instructors happens to as well we will do our best to pair them. We use visual aids to facilitate communication with non-verbal participants. Conditions We reserve the right to remove a participant from the program if they are repeatedly displaying behaviour that is a danger to themselves or others at the pool. For example, repeated running around the pool deck or pushing instructors under the water. The Pool *Please do not call the pool, SWAM is not a City of Montréal or Cégep du Vieux Montréal program. Accessibly Features Cégep du Vieux Montréal Pool Wheelchair accessible Universal change rooms with an adult changing table Ceiling and chair lifts to get into the pool Railings along the inside of the pool

S.W.A.M. Montréal Executive Team Co-President Benjamin Lévesque Kinder Coming soon... Co-President Anna Bogdan Anna has been volunteering with S.W.A.M Montreal since her first year at McGill in 2022 and joined the executive team first as a head instructor in 2023. She’s worked as a swim instructor and lifeguard since she was 17 and excels in teaching children under 10 years old. She has a lot of experience in teaching aquatic leadership courses as a life-saving instructor. She is currently finishing her degree in Psychology at McGill University. Anna adores the community that S.W.A.M has created with all the volunteer instructors and families and is very excited to continue growing S.W.A.M this year. Head Instructor Luka Marinkovic Luka is a third-year student at McGill University, completing a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Geography. He began his involvement with SWAM as an instructor before joining the executive team at the start of 2025. As a former competitive swimmer, Luka brings experience in both youth coaching and community leadership, and he is passionate about sharing his love for the sport and helping children develop confidence and essential life skills in the water. Head Instructor Eve Botterell Hi my name is Eve, I’m originally from Toronto, and I’m studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in management. I joined SWAM my first semester at McGill and became a head instructor last year. Volunteering with SWAM has been the highlight of my week since I joined, I love being able to use my competitive swimming background to give back. Head Instructor Carly Lipton Carly is a third-year Psychology and Behavioural Science student at McGill. After seven years as a competitive swimmer, Carly carried her passion for the sport into teaching, starting with backyard lessons for kids in her Toronto neighborhood. Since then, she has taught over one hundred children, combining technical instruction with water safety and a love for swimming. Carly joined S.W.A.M. in her first year at McGill. Today, S.W.A.M. is a cornerstone of Carly’s life in Montreal, allowing her to foster community connection doing what she loves most; teaching and engaging with children. Head Instructor Juliette Demers Originally from Quebec City, Juliette is a third-year Biochemistry student at McGill. She has enjoyed coaching swimmers for over seven years, from toddlers just learning to float to athletes on the competitive circuit. Joining S.W.A.M. as an instructor in 2024, Juliette is excited to return this year as a head instructor. Nothing makes her week quite like the giggles, splashes, and positive energy on the pool deck every Sunday morning. VP Media Ben Comeau Ben has been involved with S.W.A.M Montreal since 2022, first joining as a Head Instructor before serving as Co-President for two years. Recently, he has completed his Honours degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology. Now returning to McGill for a Master’s in Experimental Medicine, Ben is excited to stay involved with S.W.A.M as VP Media. His experience as a lifeguard, swim instructor, first aid instructor, and aquatics supervisor has shaped his passion for accessible swim instruction. Ben loves capturing the joy and energy of Sunday morning lessons and looks forward to another amazing year with the S.W.A.M. community. VP Events Cassie Klump Cassie has been involved with SWAM since she began at McGill in Fall 2023. Now serving as VP Events/Social, she loves creating opportunities to bring instructors together and celebrate the incredible community behind SWAM. Whether it's organizing appreciation events or fostering connection across sessions, Cassie is passionate about recognizing the dedication and heart that each instructor brings to the program. She is currently entering her third year studying Finance in the Desautels Faculty of Management. VP Finance Lydie Battut Lydie is entering her third and final year at McGill University, majoring in Finance and Business Analytics. She joined SWAM in her first semester back in Fall 2023 as an instructor and really enjoyed sharing her passion for swimming. Wanting to get more involved, she took on the role of VP Finance in Fall 2024. She’s happy to be the one behind the budget, helping keep swim lessons fun, accessible, and affordable for everyone. VP Fundraising Franny Hansen Franny has been a S.W.A.M. instructor since 2023 and took on the role of VP Fundraising in 2024. She has a strong passion for swimming and a deep commitment to working with children. Franny is currently studying Nursing at McGill University and is excited to continue promoting and helping fund accessible, inclusive swim instruction through her work with S.W.A.M. VP Outreach Tamiyana Roemer Tamiyana is a third-year Cultural Studies and Sociology student with five years of swim instruction experience. During her first year at McGill, she joined SWAM as a volunteer instructor and lifeguard, eager to contribute to an inclusive and supportive environment. She aims to bring enthusiasm and thoughtfulness to each lesson, helping children build confidence and advance their skills in the water. S.W.A.M. Montréal Volunteers

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About SWAM SWAM is a registered not-for-profit organization that aims to run affordable and accessible swimming lessons for kids with a wide range of disabilities. SWAM has been running in Montréal for 15 years with the goal of making water safety skills available to everyone! We aim to create a fun and accommodating space where kids can learn to be comfortable in the water and play safely. Click to learn more about... ...the program ...our team ...SWAM's mission Follow us on Instagram for more updates!