Empowering Water Safety for All

The YMCA is known as “America’s Swim Instructor” and, as a leading nonprofit organization that developed organized swim lessons, the Y is committed to bringing water safety skills to all children and families through our South Shore YMCA Water Safety Leadership Initiative.

The South Shore is a coastal community with miles of beaches, numerous rivers, ponds, lakes, and hundreds of pools. Our mission is to become a drowning prevention community by partnering with local schools and organizations to teach children to be safe around water.

Safety Around Water Program

The Y’s Safety Around Water program is the first step in equipping children with essential water safety skills, teaching children and adults what to do if they find themselves in water accidentally.

Drowning Prevention

According to the Massachusetts Department of Health, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death among children in the state. Many of these injuries can be prevented with simple water safety education and training. The South Shore YMCA and our Water Safety Leadership partners are dedicated to ensuring each member of our community has access to the proper information, training, and support to stay safe in water.

Our Water Safety Programs

• Swim Lessons: Each year, YMCAs across the country teach more than a million children invaluable lessons about water safety and swimming skills. Through swim lessons for infants to adults, we are dedicated to making swimming a basic life skill to reduce and prevent water-related injuries.
• Free Parent/Child Swim Lessons for Y Members: The South Shore YMCA offers free parent/child swim lessons as part of our family memberships.
• Lifeguard and CPR Training: The SSYMCA is an award-winning American Red Cross training and certification class provider, training more individuals on life-saving water safety skills than any other facility in New England.
• Water Safety Program for Public Schools: To spread life-saving water safety habits and skills to the youngest members of our community, the South Shore YMCA’s Water Safety Leadership Initiative partners with local schools to offer free “Safety Around Water” program to second-grade students.
• Early Learning Water Safety Enrichment: Our South Shore YMCA Early Learning Center students participate in weekly water safety instruction and swim time as part of their preschool curriculum.
• Day Camp Water Safety: Most full-time, traditional South Shore Y Day Camp programs include weekly swim and water safety instruction.