Deaf children celebrate swimming success in Scotland

Our two year swimming project for deaf children in Scotland concluded this weekend with a pool-party for 60 deaf children featuring gold medallist Danielle Joyce.

The Deaf-Friendly Swimming Project aims to break down the barriers preventing the 3,000 deaf children and young people across Scotland from taking part in swimming.

Over the last two years, nearly 200 swimming coaches have been to workshops to learn specific British Sign Language for swimming, to make swimming in Scotland as accessible as possible for deaf children. On top of this, nearly 600 swimming coaches have completed an online course to give them the practical skills to ensure that any deaf child who wants to go swimming, is able to.

Eleanor Connelly, Swimming Development Officer for the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Deaf children can do anything other children can do, if given the right support from the start. This project has been vital in helping us to empower deaf young people throughout Scotland to access swimming, both as a sport and as a life-saving skill.”

Danielle Joyce, who is a deaf swimming world record holder, commented on how important this project has been for deaf children in Scotland.

Danielle said: “Today was a great finale for an excellent project, which has produced some great teaching and coaching techniques for instructors and has given many deaf children the confidence to take on swimming activities. It has been a pleasure to be involved with NDCS for this over the last 2 years.”