Lifeguard Training Gives Estevan Youth Confidence And Valuable Job Skills

Nestled in southeast Saskatchewan, the City of Estevan is known as the “sunshine capital of Canada.”  

This picturesque community offers residents and visitors walking paths, parks, skating rinks – as well as outdoors pools and the Access Communications Aquatic Centre (ACAC), which is a focal point in the municipality and a place where local youth gain important first-job experience.  

In 2024, the city’s young aquatics staff were able to participate in important lifeguard training - and boost their job skills - thanks to funding from the CPRA’s National Swimming Recovery Program (NSSRP), which was funded in part by the Government of Canada.  

“(This program) provided essential skills and certifications that created more employment opportunities,” says Tionna Nashiem, program facilitator at City of Estevan Leisure Services. “Many participants gained practical work experience working as seasonal lifeguards.”  

Nashiem says that the funding assisted with more training opportunities for its current staff, as well as training for new employees. Overall, she says that 10 lifeguarding courses were provided to 10 aquatics staff. 

Training these staff members, she says, meant that the youth were able to gain on-the-job experience and learn important, transferrable skills that will help them with future employment. 

“They learned communication skills, and how to effectively communicate with patrons,” Nashiem says, adding that the job experience also taught the youth lifeguards how to prevent and respond to emergencies in aquatic environments. 

She also says the youth participants learned problem-solving skills, and the value of teamwork. 

“They learned how to work alongside a team and other staff to make an enjoyable environment for all,” Nashiem says. 

As these youth lifeguards were stationed across the city’s four outdoor pools, and watched over the many programs offered at ACAC, Nashiem says they also gained leadership skills.

“They developed the ability to assess a situation quickly, and make informed decisions while looking out for others’ personal safety,” she says. “Many of our guards and other youth say they felt more confident in their skills – particularly in water safety, first aid, and emergency response. They also felt a sense of responsibility, ensuring patron safety.” 

In addition to providing local youth valuable job skills, Nashiem says that the program also supported the city’s efforts to hire more youth and young adults who have the potential to become lifeguards – and ensured that lifeguard staff had up-date-training which promoted a sense of water safety in the community. 

“With more trained lifeguards, our community members felt safer. This program has contributed to a positive environment for families and children,” Nashiem says.  

She adds that the training allowed the city to offer various opportunities for safe aquatics programming for all residents - including the community’s Paddling Pool & Playpark Programs, and swim time at the community’s four outdoor pools which included Hillcrest Park, Hillside Park, Rusty Duce Park, and Churchill Park. 

Overall, she says the NSSRP made a significant impact on youth employability, and aquatics programming for the community.   

“The City of Estevan is appreciative of funding support programs such as this one. The NSSRP allowed us to continue to grow our programs, and ensured that our community had a wide variety of recreational opportunities available to them,” Nashiem says.

Article and Photo Credit: Canadian Parks and Recreation Association