GOGA starts water safety journey for women in the Black Country

Active Black Country has highlighted the importance of swimming and water safety for people in Wolverhampton and Walsall. In particular, the team has looked at who the area’s non-swimmers are and created sessions that has seen an overlooked section of society become confident in the water. 

Across two 10-week programmes, 39 Asian and Black women began their journey into water safety, as well as water fun. Most of these women had never been in a swimming pool or water before, so were complete non-swimmers. 

Through discussions with participants, it became clear that Asian and Black African women are unlikely to have been provided with the opportunity to go swimming as child. There are many reasons why accessing aquatic activity can be a challenge, including finding a suitable pool, session that provides privacy, and places with female instructors or lifeguards on duty. 

"The sessions that have been delivered as part of GOGA have provided this," said Jodi Adams, Strategic Lead Active Communities at Active Black Country.

"We have worked with two community organisations, Saanjha Women’s Group and Aspiring Futures, to firstly understand the needs of their community. We were then able to work with two local leisure operators to explore how they could accommodate the needs of the women."

The key to creating successful water safety sessions has been working in partnership with local services with a focus on inclusion.

In light of the Black Country’s industrial past, 80% of people in the area live within a mile of a canal. The findings of the Active Black Country’s annual school swimming survey in 2023 exposed an alarming need for water safety sessions. It revealed that 48% of primary school leavers – 7,884 children across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton – were unable to demonstrate safe self-rescue in water. 

A number of tragic child drowning deaths in and close to the Black Country over the summer of 2024 also shone the spotlight on the issue of water safety. 

"Although the sessions that have been delivered as part of GOGA are focussed on adults, participants can share what they have learnt with family members and others within the community to raise awareness of how to be safe in and around water," explained Jodi.

"The sessions have also improved the confidence of those participating to perhaps take their children and families swimming, which is not something they would have felt comfortable doing before."

After completing the 10-week programme, having grown in confidence and enjoyment, it is hoped that the women will continue their aquatic journey; to continue swimming lessons, to participate in aquafit classes, to join ladies-only swimming sessions. 

“I really enjoyed swimming and learned how to float in the water,” one participant said. “I want more lessons to be able to swim well.”

Thanks to the successful outcomes of the previous sessions, Active Black Country is working with Saanjha Women’s Group to deliver a third 10-week programme for another cohort of women. Other community groups have expressed their interest in running similar water safety programmes, and the organisation is looking to expand across other areas of the Black Country to enable Asian and Black African women to be safe, and to have fun, within the water.

For further information, visit the Active Black Country website.