City of Niagara Falls Introduces Accelerated Lifeguard Training Program
Generously subsidized by the McCall MacBain Foundation
NIAGARA FALLS, ON - The City of Niagara Falls is excited to offer a subsidized leadership opportunity to avid swimmers in the community, ages 15 to 23, who are interested in becoming a lifeguard and swim instructor, thanks to a generous donation from the McCall MacBain Foundation.
The Accelerated Lifeguard Training Program is a unique, three-month program offered at MacBain Community Centre beginning in January 2023 that will provide youth with the certifications and skill set to apply to work for the City’s Aquatics Team upon completion of the program.
Residents of the Niagara Region, ages 15-23, can apply for the Accelerated Lifeguard Training Program at niagarafalls.ca. There are 12 spots available for the program at a subsidized registration fee of $50 (savings of 90%).
Applicants must be 15 years old by March 26, 2023, and be able to complete an initial swimming skill assessment to qualify. Program participants will complete their Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, Standard First Aid, National Lifeguard and Swim Instructor Certification programs as part of the Accelerated Lifeguard Training Program.
“At the height of the pandemic, with restrictions and closures at our aquatic facilities, the City of Niagara Falls could not run lifeguard training programs. This resulted in a lifeguard and swim instructor shortage, directly impacting our aquatics programs and offerings,” said Samantha Slofstra, the City of Niagara Falls’ Aquatics Supervisor. “This new Accelerated Training Program offers youth in our community the opportunity to fast track their training at a fraction of the cost of a traditional lifeguard training program, courtesy of funding from the McCall MacBain Foundation.”
“Marcy and I are so pleased to be able to support this accelerated lifeguard training program through our Foundation," said John McCall MacBain. "One of my first jobs as a teenager in Niagara Falls was as a swim instructor, so I know firsthand the value of community recreational activities for youth. We know that training lifeguards now will reduce drownings for years to come and help encourage lifelong physical activity for Niagara Falls youth. We are particularly excited to be able to support this work after these last couple years of restrictions and isolation.”
What: Accelerated Lifeguard Training Program
Who: Niagara Falls residents ages 15 to 23 years old
Where: MacBain Community Centre Pool
Application Window: The application window opened on Monday, November 14, 2022, on niagarafalls.ca. Applications are due by December 14, 2022.
Program Dates: The training program commences Saturday, January 7, 2023, and runs on weekends until Sunday, March 26, 2023.
For complete details, including program dates, please visit niagarafalls.ca.
About the McCall MacBain Foundation:
The McCall MacBain Foundation is an international philanthropic foundation whose mission is to improve the welfare of humanity by providing scholarships and other educational opportunities that nurture transformational leadership, and by investing in evidence-based strategies to address climate change, preserve our natural environment, and improve health outcomes. For more information, visit www.mccallmacbain.org/.
For more information, contact:
Samantha Slofstra
Aquatics Supervisor
City of Niagara Falls
905-356-7521 ext. 4139
sslofstra@niagarafalls.ca
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