THE BLACK SWIMMING ASSOCIATION
Education, Advocacy, Research and Support for People of Colour in Aquatics
Throughout aquatics people of colour and ethnic minority communities are consistently precluded. These barriers are often entrenched and complex, which often leaves these communities without the necessary education in water safety and drowning prevention. Because of this, in England:
95% of Black adults and 80% of Black children do not swim.
The risk of drowning being higher among “minority ethnic” communities.
1 in 4 children in leave primary school unable to swim.
The BSA's mission is to change that.
WHAT WE DO
The Black Swimming Association (BSA) is a non-profit organisation set up to:
Highlight swimming as an essential and invaluable life-saving skill for all communities.
Promote education among the Black community as well as other ethnic minority communities on water safety and drowning prevention measures.
Ensure that the issues that preclude these communities from engaging in aquatics are researched, understood and adequately addressed.
Collaborate with national aquatic governing bodies, brands and other charities in order to drive participation, engagement and inclusion for ethnic minority communities in aquatics.
Support opportunities that make aquatics more accessible for people of colour.
OUR MISSION
Diversifying The Sport That Saves Lives
EDUCATION
By collaborating with national swimming bodies, brands, and charities, the BSA plans to run campaigns to equip Black communities and people of colour with the relevant aquatic skills and information. Through education we can raise awareness of water safety, drowning prevention measures, and the importance of learning how to swim.
ADVOCACY
At the BSA, we are dedicated to understanding and addressing barriers that limit the Black community and people of colour from engaging in aquatics and water safety. We want to work in partnership with institutions so that we can comprehensively tackle issues of diversity, inclusion, participation, engagement and representation in aquatics by having a seat at the table.
SUPPORT
One of the key objectives of the BSA is to promote opportunities to make swimming more accessible. We are aware that in ethnic minority communities the reasons for not engaging in aquatics are varied and complex. The BSA is working to collaborate with swim charities, swim teachers and grassroots swimming clubs in the community in order to support and develop the amazing work that is already being done. Through collaboration we can continue to empower people of colour to take on swimming as an essential life skill.
RESEARCH
The BSA is committed to fully unpacking the various issues that restrict people of colour and ethnic minority communities from accessing aquatics. The BSA wants to collaborate with national swimming bodies, brands, and universities to produce targeted, accurate, and independent research on ethnic minority communities and aquatics. Only by fully understanding all the problems our communities face in aquatics can we work to dismantle them, creating a more inclusive arena.