Development Plan 2015 – 2021 – 2021 2015 Plan Development Foreword Swimming in Scotland has never had a higher profile. and considered how this may impact on the development Following on from an outstanding Commonwealth Games of our sport. We are mindful of the financial pressures in Glasgow in 2014 at which our Scottish swimmers facing key partners, the Scottish demographics of an excelled, there has never been a better platform on which aging population, changes in consumer behaviour and to develop swimming and other aquatic sports. Swimming the competition from other sports and activities as they as a sport and physical activity provides significant develop and grow. We have analysed our membership social, physical and mental benefits as well as lots of fun, profile, taken time to better understand what our enjoyment and achievement for both children and adults. members want, as well as look at how we can best I believe it truly is the sport for life. address the key challenges facing our clubs. I am passionate about ensuring every child in Scotland In developing this plan we have considered all of the has this wonderful skill and has the opportunity to continue above and identified a number of focus areas and several to develop their swimming skills to their chosen level or key actions which must be achieved if swimming in use swimming to learn and develop skills in other aquatic Scotland is to continue to grow and flourish at all levels. sports and activities. Having strong partnerships, a network of community clubs and a quality workforce to teach, coach and nurture our young people are central to Sharon MacDonald achieving this. Director of Development As we look to the future, we have taken into account the external and internal environments in which we are working 2 Development Plan 2015 – 2021 – 2021 2015 Plan Development Introduction Scottish Swimming’s corporate plan outlines our vision, Our key performance indicators for Development are; mission and strategic objectives for the next 6 years. Our vision is Everyone Can Swim, our mission is to inspire our By 2021 Scottish Swimming will: members and partners in the development of aquatics, providing leadership and expert support, resulting in more • Increase swimming membership to 19,000 people taking part and reaching their full potential and our strategic objectives are to: • Increase non-swimming membership to 7,000 including teachers, coaches, technical officials • Increase the number of people of all ages and and volunteers abilities participating in swimming for health, fitness and fun. • Have 120 strong, sustainable clubs with swiMark Plus • Support and develop stronger, more sustainable • Have 32 Local authorities (LAs)/Trusts delivering a clubs that will provide increased and quality National Swimming Framework underpinned by an opportunities for people to participate at all levels. aquatics plan • Enhance the aquatic pathway, ensuring high • Increase the number of children learning to swim performance results through effective athlete development and quality coaching. • Establish an adult recreational membership with over (Please see separate performance plan). 1,000 members. Each of these areas are underpinned by quality teacher This plan provides the detail on how we will achieve this. This plan and coach education and training. is underpinned by individual development plans for each aquatic discipline (Water Polo, Synchronized Swimming, Diving, and Open Water Swimming). 3 Development Plan 2015 – 2021 – 2021 2015 Plan Development Participation for Health, Fitness and Fun Ensuring Every Child Can Swim Scottish Swimming wants to engage with and support Swimming is a life skill that’s not only fun and good for aquatic providers to develop their aquatic programmes to a child’s health; it can also increase their water safety ensure that there are opportunities for all ages and abilities awareness. Swimming provides children with knowledge to learn, compete, gain fitness and swim recreationally. In and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which addition, we want to support aquatic providers to create an they need for mental, social and physical wellbeing now environment that demonstrates best practice and provides and in the future. With 40% of children leaving primary a quality environment to aid the progress of participants school unable to swim, ensuring every child is given the and give an excellent aquatic experience. opportunity to learn to swim remains a high priority for Scottish Swimming. This can be achieved in several ways: Strategic Objective: To increase the number of people of all ages and Early Years Swimming Programmes abilities participating in swimming for health, fitness and fun with a focus on The earlier a child gains water confidence and basic swimming skills the better. Research suggests that babies • Ensuring Every Child Can Swim and pre-school children who learn to swim in their pre- school years have better social, physical and motor skills. • Getting more adults physically active Start to Swim, Scottish Swimming’s Early Years Swimming Programme provides training and resources to support • Quality swimming teaching environments learn to swim providers to deliver quality adult and child and pre-school swimming classes. The programme also • Effective water programming seeks to increase physical activity levels and address health inequalities in disadvantaged areas of Scotland by providing parent education and structured lessons. Working in partnership with a number of agencies and key partners we have provided opportunities for over 3000 young children to learn to swim. Our work with the Lothian Family Nurse Partnership, Dundee Family Splash programme and our pre-school nursery programme in Glasgow and Falkirk are all excellent examples. 5 Development Plan 2015 – 2021 – 2021 2015 Plan Development School Swimming Community Learn to Swim Programmes For some children, school swimming will be their only The majority of children learn to swim in a community opportunity to learn to swim. Triple S (Scotland Safe programme delivered by a local authority/leisure trust Swimmer) Scottish Swimming’s school swimming or private swimming provider. Currently there are over programme has two key components – the Triple S 100,000 children learning to swim in programmes across National School Swimming standard and a training and Scotland. We need to raise awareness of the importance resource programme to support local authorities and of a child learning to swim and highlight the many benefits leisure trusts to increase opportunities and further enhance being able to swim can bring. the quality of school swimming programmes. Scottish Swimming had been successful in gaining political support for school swimming which resulted in £1.8 million being Disability Swimming Programmes invested in the Top Up swimming programme (2010 – 2015). This funding enabled local authorities to enhance Swimming is used as a therapy for children of all ages and their current school swimming programmes and resulted abilities. It is particularly beneficial for children with in more children learning to school. Following a funding a disability. The weight bearing properties of water can aid review within the Scottish Government the top up funding better co-ordination, improved relaxation and a sense of was not continued. Despite this school swimming will freedom. Swimming can also improve communication, continue to be a priority for Scottish Swimming and enable greater self-control and enable a feeling of equality. securing a swimming entitlement is a key ambition. Scottish Swimming works in partnership with Scottish Disability Sport to support and encourage local authorities/ trusts to work inclusively with swimmers with a disability through appropriate education, development and local disability sport structures. The main focus is to ensure LTS programmes enable swimmers with a disability to be integrated into the mainstream programme, acknowledging any additional support needs and the need to have teachers appropriately qualified and trained. 6 Development Plan 2015 – 2021 – 2021 2015 Plan Development Swim Social: More Adults Physically Active Open Water Swimming Swimming is a fantastic exercise for an adult’s physical and Open Water swimming is growing in popularity in Scotland. The mental well-being. Our recent work in this area has shown Great Scottish Swim has over 2000 adults taking part, with this that there are opportunities for growth and development number growing annually. In partnership with Triathlon Scotland, in the adult swimming market. There is growing interest in Falkirk Community Trust and Nova International, Scottish Swimming open water and ‘challenge’ swimming, structured pool held our first Come and Try Open Water event in 2014 which was a swimming programmes for all levels of adult swimmer and great success. Feedback from participants was they wanted more masters’ swimming clubs. As more adults look for different coach led open water swimming opportunities and in 2015 we further ways to maintain and improve their health and fitness and developed our open water come and try events. challenge themselves, swimming is increasingly being chosen as a way to do this. Masters Swimming Swim Social our new adult swimming and aquatic fitness programme is a key priority for us and includes: Masters swimming completes the adult swimming pathway that allows swimmers to join a club for fun, fitness, friendship and competition. Scottish Swimming’s aim