Venture Description: Wild and Water is a Youth Venture that provides swimming lessons for economically disadvantaged kids. We work to make the kids feel more comfortable around water, to teach them how to swim correctly and efficiently, and to teach them about water safety. We have a swim practice once a month at Agnes Scott College where the kids not only become comfortable around water, learn to swim, and learn to be safe in and around the water, but also exercise and spend time with friends in a safe and nurturing environment. They also get to meet role models and develop a passion for the sport of swimming, while visiting a college campus.

Venture Origin: I was camping with an organization called Wilderness Works, which engages economically disadvantaged children in outdoor activity. I was the volunteer that was put in charge of a swimming excursion. It turned out that there shouldn't have even been one, because none of the kids knew how to swim. I had rescue three different girls at once.

Innovation: Wild and Water is different from other Ventures in that it engages a part of the community that is rarely asked to serve, and that is swimmers and swim fans. Wild and Water gives this group the chance to share what they're so passionate about. Accomplished swimmers get to give swim lessons to the kids, lifeguards get to volunteer their time to watch over the lessons, fans can time at meets, etc.

Impact

Impact: Since Wild and Water's Start on National Youth Service Day in April 2006, 70 children have had at least one swim lesson and have learned how to float, tread water, and do the crawl. Several of the kids have learned how to dive, and at our last practice, all of them were able to kick with kickboards all the way across the 25 yard pool. They also understand proper pool conduct and all of them know how to handle themselves in an emergency.

Engagement with the community: Wild and Water has engaged several groups of people in the community. We work with Dekalb Aquatics, who provides us with pool time and many volunteers. We also get volunteers from other local swim clubs, like Dynamo Swim Club. Many high school swimmers from The Paideia School and Northview High School volunteer as well. We recruit our kids from Wilderness Works.

Impact and engagement progress since launch: The kids have been keeping on schedule with the swim lesson plans, and know how to float, tread water, and do the crawl as well as are aware of basic pool rules and how to behave in a water-related emergency. We have also taken one giant step towards accomplishing our goal by making a agreement with Dekalb Aquatics in which some of our most motivated kids can swim on the swim team for free.

Impact and engagement strategy: We plan to work with at least one new swim team per year to obtain more volunteers and more pool locations. We've recently been in contact with USA Swimming and Splash Magazine, and we hope to work with them to accomplish this. We also are planning on working with other nonprofits like Wilderness Works to recruit kids, such as GoGirl, a nonprofit dedicated to getting girls active.

Awards: On December 16, 2006, Wild and Water received the Atlanta Falcons Jr. Community Quaterback Award, presented by the Atlanta Falcons and NFL Charities.

Budget

Amount of Youth Venture seed grant: $891

Money raised: We've raised $1,000 from winning the Atlanta Falcons Jr. Community Quarterback Award.

Creative ways of raising resources: We have a partnership with Dekalb Aquatics where we get to use some of their pool time for free to have our lessons. ($60 per practice value).

Strategy

Expansion plan for next 6 months: We hope to work with USA Swimming and Splash Magazine to engage at least one more swim club by May, which will give us another location and another swim team to work with. We also plan to start recruiting kids for the program from GoGirl.

Plans for sustaining the project: We will always have pool time with Dekalb Aquatics at the very minimum. Leaders will be recruited from different swim teams, such as Dekab Aquatics, Dynamo, etc. Volunteers will also be recruited from swim teams, neighborhood summer league swimming events, and other swim related activities.

Vision for three years from now: In three years, I see Wild and Water working with at least three different swim clubs, and at least three different nonprofits. We'd be able to have our own swim meets for the kids, and it'd be like an unofficial swim league. There will be at least five kids doing year round swimming with Dekalb Aquatics, and Wild and Water would be saving up for a scholarship for one of the swimmers for college.

Project impact: Wild and Water has impacted the lives of the kids involved in ways as unique as each child him/herself. The most plain to see are in that Wild and Water is teaching these kids a valuable skill and ensuring that each one will be comfortable and safe around water. It's also easy to see the joy that each child gets out of swimming with Wild and Water. They get to learn, exercise, and play with their friends in a safe environment while developing a passion for something that they can take with them for the rest of their lives. Enriching children's lives like this is what makes life easier for them.

Youth Venture movement - what it means and how you can contribute: I am very proud to say that I am part of the Youth Venture Movement. I love to swim, and I love that Youth Venture lets me share my passion with children that are less fortunate than me. I love how I've been given the opportunity to make a difference through what I like to do. Wild and Water can and does promote Youth Venture by advertising this point to other passionate people. We make it clear to all youth around us that whether you enjoy basketball, acting, singing, etc., there is a way to share it with someone less fortunate, and that way is Youth Venture.

Author:
Laura
United States