Work with us
Sign up as a Swim Safe volunteer, download school and youth group water safety resources, or support the programme by becoming a delivery partner.
Swim Safe Partners
Swim Safe was created by Swim England and the RNLI to help children aged 7–14 stay safe when in or near open water.
Swim Wales, National Governing Body for swimming in Wales.
Swim Safe Cymru is a Water Safety Education programme for 7 to 14 year olds. It provides experiential learning opportunities available to schools and public. Swim Safe Cymru is a free 45 minute session providing vital water safety information and messaging to participants and practical application of key water safety and self-rescue skills in open water.
Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
The sessions aim to increase awareness of water safety and boost confidence around open water.
Sessions, delivered by RYA Instructors, guide young people through the Water Safety Code and then allows them to practise key sea survival techniques in the water - all whilst wearing a buoyancy aid.
The RYA launched its version of Swim Safe - ‘Swim Safe with OnBoard’ - in 2024, bringing the programme to watersports centres across the country through a new national partnership. The key difference between a traditional Swim Safe session and an OnBoard session is that participants wear buoyancy aids when entering the water.Developing water confidence and safety awareness is at the heart of the RYA OnBoard programme. By helping children feel safe and capable in and around open water, the programme also aims to break down barriers to further participation in watersports.
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Do you share our passion for water safety and education?
Can you help us achieve our vision of ‘Every young person across the UK and Republic of Ireland’ having access to a Swim Safe session? Are you an established activity provider? Can you assist us by providing some funding to support our delivery? If so, we would love to hear from you.
We have worked with a wide range of delivery partners and they have formed an integral part of our delivery team. Some of our partners have included: Birmingham City Council; Salford Community Leisure; Elemental UK; RNLI lifeguards; Southern Water; local charities and private swim schools. Our delivery partners have access to all the resources required to deliver a Swim Safe session and also receive a detailed induction and training programme to make sure they have everything they need. The benefits to becoming a Swim Safe delivery partner are varied - but the opportunity to make a real difference to water safety and education in your community is invaluable.
What is required from a delivery partner?
- Access to safe bathing water and land owner permission.
- A site coordinator to be the main point of contact and organiser for your Swim Safe sessions.
- Experience delivering outdoor activities to young people.
What do our partners receive in return?
All our partners receive training and support to deliver a Swim Safe session and this is a fantastic Continued Professional Development (CPD) opportunity for your staff.
Swim Safe is a registered trademark and we’re proud of the brand which is clearly communicated across all relevant materials and merchandise by Swim England, the RNLI and all partner organisations.
If you're interested in delivering Swim Safe please note that onboarding for new 2026 partners for the 2026 season has closed but you can add your name to the 2027 register of interest. If you would like to contact us email [email protected].
Testimonials
'We are incredibly proud of the considerable impact that the Swim Safe programme has had since 2013. Over 200,000 young people have learnt to apply important water safety skills gained in swimming lessons to outdoor environments since we began our partnership in 2013, ensuring their swimming competence translates into open water settings. Key to the success of Swim Safe is our collaboration with the RNLI, RYA, Swim Wales and most importantly our local delivery partners, who each year give their time to support this incredible programme. As we continue to develop and expand Swim Safe, I look forward to working even closer with our partners and bringing the enjoyment of open water, as well as life-saving skills, to more young people.'
Acquiring open water competency provides an essential lifelong, lifesaving body of knowledge and practical skills that are critical for increasing the chances of survival in and around open water - everyone should have these skills.
Volunteer for Swim Safe
Wanted: enthusiastic volunteers with a passion for helping children to learn about how to be safe in and around water!
Swim Safe sessions would not take place without the help of our dedicated team of volunteers, swimming teachers, lifeguards and site coordinators.
Swim Safe volunteers are self-motivated and enjoy motivating others. They’re also good at timekeeping, administrative skills and are able to work independently as well as within a team.
You need to be 18 years old to apply. If you're 16 or 17, you can apply as long as you are accompanied by an adult.
We need volunteers for a variety of roles, from registering participants, distributing kit and handing out safety messaging, to accompanying sessions to the water’s edge and carrying out evaluations.
We don’t need volunteers at every site, but we welcome your registration and will be in touch to advise of any ways you can help.
Instructors and lifeguards
We also need qualified instructors to help us deliver Swim Safe. If you're an instructor or lifeguard who has experience with sessions in outdoor environments, we'd like to hear from you. Instructors who have experience of delivering in outdoor environments are a great asset to the programme, but all teachers undertake the Swim England Swim Safe continuing professional development (CPD) course before teaching on the programme.
Our story
Every summer, Swim Safe teaches children aged 7 to 14 essential life skills. Learn more about the programme and why it was created.
