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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!

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 Thursday afternoons (NEW!) and Saturday mornings at Jack 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

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!

Our Mission Founded in 2004 in Montreal, SWAM Montreal is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU). Our mission is to offer affordable and accessible swimming lessons to children with physical and/or sensory disabilities. To learn more about our movement across Canada, visit www.swamcanada.ca . Why We're “Making Waves…” The need for our volunteer-based service is clear. According to a 2002 report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning remains the second leading cause of accidental death among children, despite overall improvements in swimming ability across North America. Another study found that children with disabilities are ten times more likely to experience a drowning accident than the general population (Injury Prevention, 2001). While many children have access to affordable group lessons that teach water safety, the format of these programs does not meet the needs of children with disabilities. Participants in our program often have shorter attention spans, require one-on-one supervision, and need individually adapted instruction methods to succeed. Furthermore, according to the Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, 26% of children with disabilities live in low-income households. As a result, many parents face the high cost of private swimming lessons they cannot afford. For example, while a set of nine group lessons at a municipal pool may cost $95, the same number of private lessons can cost up to $360 — nearly four times as much. Altogether, this data paints a troubling picture: the segment of the population for whom water safety is most critical is also the one most excluded by the current swimming lesson system. Our Approach SWAM builds on existing, successful lesson programs but focuses specifically on the children most at risk of drowning in our society. We recruit our volunteers from the large university student population, many of whom are certified swimming instructors, and we partner with organizations to train, educate, and prepare them for the unique experience of working with children with disabilities. Each week, we offer multiple individual lessons in one pool session, always assigning one instructor per child. By using innovative cost-cutting strategies and fundraising, we are able to provide private swimming lessons at prices affordable even for families below the poverty line. Our Structure On Sunday mornings, we offer four sessions of 30-minute one-on-one lessons. You can register your child for a 30-minute lesson at 9:00–9:30, 9:30–10:00, 10:00–10:30, or 10:30–11:00. The cost is $20 per child per season (each season includes 9 lessons). These fees help cover a portion of the pool rental and lifeguard compensation. All instructors are volunteers. A certified lifeguard who is independent of our organization is always on duty during our lessons. The sessions take place at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal pool, located at 255 Ontario Street East (near the intersection with Sanguinet Street) in downtown Montreal, Quebec. We offer two seasons of lessons each year: fall (September to December) and winter (January to April). We do not offer lessons during the summer. How to Register Your Child You can do so here ! Want More Information? Don't hesitate to reach out to us at montreal@swamcanada.ca ! How You Can Help If you’re a university student interested in volunteering an hour every week, click here to learn more! If you’d like to support us through a donation or by becoming a SWAM sponsor, please contact us .

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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

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. Addition of the Lifesaving Society Bronze Medallion program to our offering, so that our older participants can develop personalized self-rescue and peer rescue skills. 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

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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. 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. S.W.A.M. Montréal Volunteers

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