Mayor Wu Announces Expansion of Free Swim Lessons for Youth; Recognizes International Water Safety Day on May 15

City highlights free swim lessons, lifeguard staffing, and water safety awareness in Boston

Mayor Michelle Wu, the Office of Human Services (OHS), and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) marked yesterday’s International Water Safety Day with the award of $230,000 in grant funding to support free youth swim lessons and $10,000 for the launch of a MBTA bus campaign that highlights the importance of water safety. In 2024, Swim Safe provided lessons to over 6,000 youth, and since its launch under Mayor Wu in summer of 2023 has provided lessons to 8,100 kids. Swim Safe is part of Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, Explore: Commitment to Youth, a commitment to giving Boston youth an opportunity to explore and discover their passions. The Swim Safe initiative affirms Mayor Wu’s commitment to ensure all Boston kids learn to swim and can safely enjoy the City’s coastline and pools. 

“This International Water Safety Day, Boston is working with our partners to make it easier and more affordable to teach our kids to swim,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As warm weather returns, we’re investing in free Swim Safe lessons and making progress in renovating our City pools to ensure families have a safe, fun way to cool off and enjoy the summer.”

The $230,000 in grants funded in BCYF’s annual operating budget will support free swim lessons for Boston youth, ensuring families have access to affordable, beginner-level swim lessons. This year’s grantees include the YMCA of Greater Boston, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, and West End House, among others. Additional recipients of this year’s grant include summer camp programs that will use the funds to incorporate beginner swim lessons into the camp curriculum. For more information, families can visit the website of participating organizations to learn more about swim lessons. 

“We are excited to partner with many of our existing Swim Safe providers to offer swim lessons to youth,” said Chief of Human Services, José F. Massó. “I am also thrilled that there is a new group of grantees who will be offering lessons as part of the summer camp experience.”

Mayor Wu, the Public Facilities Department, BCYF, and Boston Public Schools have prioritized investing in the city's pool infrastructure and streamlining processes to prevent the deferred maintenance that has caused closures in recent years. The BCYF Draper and Curtis Hall Pools reopened in April. The outdoor, seasonal pools (BCYF Clougherty and BCYF Mirabella) are expected to open Saturday, June 21 for the summer. The new Clougherty Bathhouse will be completed early this summer, and the BCYF Condon Pool is expected to finish renovations and reopen in the coming months. Despite national challenges, BCYF has hired lifeguards to fully staff City pools for the summer season. 

“Given Boston's prime waterfront location and the wealth of recreational opportunities it presents during the summer months, ensuring equitable access to water safety education for all young residents is crucial, empowering them to confidently and safely engage with our city's pools and beaches,” said Marta E. Rivera, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. 

“I didn’t think my kids would be as excited and happy as they are – I thought they would be scared, [but] all they want to do is go to class and learn,” said Ericka Rodriguez, mother to Ezrael (5), Emir (7), Elianna (8) and Erik (10) who are learning to swim at the YMCA of Greater Boston. “They have learned so much already. I am so thankful for the Swim Safe program.”

The City’s efforts to expand swim lessons is a public health issue. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children and that the risk of drowning is higher for children of color. Black children are more than twice as likely as white children to die of drowning. For every child who dies of drowning, there are seven non-fatal drownings, which are traumatic and can lead to health issues later in life. Swim Safe Boston seeks to improve water safety in Boston, address the public health threat posed by drowning, and increase access to swimming for Boston families.

To mark International Water Safety Day on May 15, the City launched an ad campaign, featuring water safety ads on MBTA buses that travel through Boston. The information reminds parents and caregivers of important water safety tips in advance of summer. First, lessons are a great way to reduce drowning risk. Second, people should never swim alone. It is better to swim in a pair and to swim only in designated areas where a lifeguard is on-duty. Finally, if a person gets in trouble in the water, experts advise bystanders to call 9-1-1 for help and throw a float to the person rather than trying to attempt a water rescue, due to the added risk of drowning during a rescue attempt.  

To learn more about Swim Safe Boston and water safety, visit boston.gov/swim-safe.