The Active Merri-bek aquatic facilities are proud to offer swimming lessons with the Y.
For more than 100 years the YMCA has been teaching Victorians of all ages to swim. We're passionate about inspiring children to develop a lifelong love and a positive connection to the water by learning to swim.
Our swimming programs
Our swimming programs help students become better and safer swimmers. Swimming lessons at Active Merri-bek run for 46 weeks throughout the year, taking a break over Easter and the summer holidays.
You can enrol in swimming lessons at the following Active Merri-bek centres:
- Brunswick Baths;
- Coburg Leisure Centre;
- Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre (over the summer season).
All Active Merri-bek centres offer lessons for infants, preschool children, school-age children and adults. We also run swimming programs for schools and holiday swimming programs.
At Brunswick Baths and Coburg Leisure Centre, we also run a Fitness Squad and Club Development Squad.
What's more, Brunswick Baths has a Casual Fitness Squad that you can join while Coburg Leisure Centre runs a Water Sensory Play program.
Learning to swim is even easier with an ongoing Swimming Lessons membership. This includes a weekly lesson and access to all Merri-bek pools all year round, plus the outdoor pools in summer!
Active Merri-bek swimming pool facilities
The swimming pool facilities at the Active Merri-bek centres include:
- five heated outdoor pools, including four 50 metre pools and one 33 metre pool;
- three heated indoor pools, including a 25 metre pool and 20 metre pool;
- two water play pools with waterslides and a water play area, perfect for kids;
- four toddler play pools;
- five learner pools;
- two pools with diving boards.
Swimming lessons benefits
In Australia, we love catching up with friends and family outdoors. This means that a pool, the beach, a lake or river is never far away – and that's great! However, each year the drowning report show us that even competent stroke swimmers can get into trouble in the water or tragically lose their lives.
That's why learning to swim is about more than just mastering different swimming strokes. It's also about establishing a lifelong appreciation for safe activity in the water. Our swimming lessons teach vital survival skills and knowledge so that your child stays safe in and around water. These are skills that will benefit your child for life.
With our swimming lessons, your child will:
- develop and refine their swimming strokes;
- learn essential water safety, personal survival and open water techniques;
- understand how to cooperate with and respect others in the water;
- be able to make sensible decisions and solve problems in and around water;
- develop their physical health and wellbeing;
- build their water confidence.
Accredited swimming teachers
Passionate, professional and industry-qualified, our swimming teachers will empower your child to reach their full potential in and out of the water.
All of our swimming teachers undertake ongoing training and professional development. We invest in them to ensure they lead the delivery of our expertly developed curriculum.
Swimming lesson levels
We offer a range of swimming lessons to suit different ages and abilities. Take a look at our swimming lesson categories below.
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Watch Around Water policy information
YMCA Victoria is a Watch Around Water endorsed aquatic safety organisation. Watch Around Water is a set of industry guidelines that outline the minimum supervision requirements of young children at aquatic venues.
We have followed the Watch Around Policy (outlined below) in our centre since 1 September 2019.Children under five years old
- All children must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 18 and be supervised within arms’ reach at all times in the water.
- All children must wear a pink wristband supplied by YMCA staff to help identify their age while swimming.
- Children will not be admitted without a full fee paying parent/guardian who must also be in the water at all times.
- Groups will not be admitted entry where the number of parents/guardians supervising a group of children under five years exceeds the ratio of 1:2.
Children under 10 years old
- All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 18.
- All children must be actively supervised by an adult over the age of 18 at all times. The adult must have a clear and active view of the child with no physical or structural barriers between them (this includes tech and devices
- such as mobile phones).
- All children must wear a yellow wristband supplied by YMCA staff to help identify their age while swimming.
- Groups will not be admitted entry where the number of parents/guardians supervising a group of children under 10 years exceeds the ratio of 1:4.
Birthday parties
- All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied into the centre by a person over the age of 18 and handed over to the supervision of the birthday party leader (staff member).
- All birthday party participants must wear a blue wristband and an age-based wristband (pink or yellow) to identify their participation in a party.
- The adult guardian of the birthday party child must remain accessible and actively supervise the group at all times.
- At the conclusion of the birthday party, children will remain in the supervision of the birthday party leader and supervising parent until physically handed over to their supervising parent/guardian.
For more information visit the Watch Around Water website.