Past Programme: Women’s Swimming Group
Community Waitākere led a pilot project for women-only swim groups, delivered in coordination with the West Auckland Women-only Pool Collaboration Group. Aiming to deliver culturally appropriate female-only swimming, confidence building, and water safety pool sessions in West Auckland, the programme targeted women and girls over 11 years who for cultural reasons, need to keep their bodies covered around men.
Funded by The Trusts & Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the 8 week programme was delivered to 116 women and rangitahi in three West Auckland Dean Greenwood Swim School locations: New Windsor School, Kelston Girls High School, and Massey High School. During the 2 hour sessions each woman had a 30 minute lesson with a swimming instructor, for the remainder of the session time women had free time to practice skills and develop their confidence in the water. The programme also included several Drowning Prevention Auckland water safety sessions.
The programme was oversubscribed at all three locations with programme registrations filled up in 5 days before the programme was even advertised beyond the groups in the pilot collaboration. The change in participants' confidence, skills in the water, and water safety knowledge, was remarkable and there was much satisfaction and excitement that came with the mastery of new skills.
Shalema, our community developer who ran these sessions, says she has been humbled by the experience of sharing skills with women on the programme, a number of whom had never been in a pool. She sees water as an integral part of New Zealand’s culture and national identity and passionately believes that all New Zealanders should have the opportunity, confidence and skills to experience the joy of being in the water. Shalema sees the programme as especially important for newly arrived refugees and migrants, as it helps to develop a sense of belonging and inclusion for these women. She points out that women-only pool sessions offer enormous benefits, including better health and mental wellbeing. Furthermore, participants develop strong social and support networks that continue on dry land.
With the intention of building towards an approach that was ongoing, Community Waitakere brought together a group of agencies and organisations to guide and deliver the pilot project. This group is now working together on the goal of creating ongoing culturally appropriate water opportunities in West Auckland. This Collaboration Group includes the New Settlers Family and Community Trust (NFACT), NZ Muslim Ass. (NZMA), New Windsor Community Hub, Belong Aotearoa, Community Waitakere, Whau Ethnic Collective, NZMA Avondale, Sport Waitakere, Drowning Prevention Auckland, NZMA Kelston, International Sisterhood, West Auckland Mosque Women’s Committee (WAMWC), Islamic Women's Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ), Anjuman-e-Saifee, and Iranian Women In NZ (IWIN).