Swimming for Bahamian Gender, Climate, & Economic Resilience

Summary

In 2024, The Sean Connery Foundation (SCF) committed its resources, energy, technical expertise, convening power, advocacy efforts, and brand-value toward accelerating the achievement of a long-term vision captured in the initiative’s name: Every Bahamian Swimming. The Every Bahamian Swimming initiative is a multi-stakeholder approach designed to teach basic survival strokes to young students, starting with compulsory eight weeks of swimming lessons at the primary school level, and then expanding to older students and the wider community over time. SCF will make significant direct investments into swimming programs, equipment, and facilities provision; educational opportunities, data collection, and analysis; and community building and messaging initiatives to advance the initiative’s goals. In addition to basic learn-to-swim programs, the initiative will identify and support older Bahamian students who are interested in careers in marine biology or aquatics-related employment to bolster the Bahamian blue economy, climate resilience, and will increase gender equity by closing the swimming knowledge gap between boys and girls, men and women.

Approach

The Sean Connery Foundation (SCF) , in partnership with a coalition of stakeholders, commits to focusing its resources, energy, technical expertise, convening power, advocacy efforts, and brand-value towards accelerating the achievement of a long-term vision captured in the initiative’s name: Every Bahamian Swimming. The “Every Bahamian Swimming” initiative is a multi-stakeholder approach designed to ensure young people learn basic survival strokes, starting with compulsory eight-week swimming lessons at the primary school level, and provide on-ramps to swimming-related activities for older students and the wider community over time.

SCF will make significant direct investments into swimming programs, equipment, and facilities provision; educational opportunities, data collection, and analysis; and community building and messaging initiatives to advance the initiative’s goals. SCF will indirectly support the initiative through consistent advocacy, convening, partnership building, and coalition expansion and coalition strengthening. In addition to basic learn-to-swim programs, introducing older Bahamian students to conservation, marine biology and aquatics-related employment is part of an integrated suite of pipeline investments. Inviting those older students to come speak to younger students who are in the learn-to-swim classes is a powerful way to make the swim lessons meaningful.

The Fox Foundation is dedicated to supporting and enriching the lives of Bahamians in the spheres of Education, Youth Development, Community Building, and Disaster Relief and has committed to building pools in schools. Jeff Ellis Management (JEM) , a leader in pool management, lifeguard and learn-to-swim training, and aquatics consulting, will provide equipment and training. The Bahamian Government, with the leadership of the Prime Minister, has mandated learn-to-swim as a requirement in primary schools across the country.

Action Plan

Initial activities to implement the initiative are already underway, including a weekly meeting between SCF and the Ministry of Education focused on foundational activities like capturing baseline data on student swimming proficiency and identifying gaps in capacity and resources within the Ministry to expand from 8 to 13 schools offering learn-to-swim classes by September, 2024. In parallel, SCF has commissioned a market research firm to conduct a national baseline attitudes and behavior survey and is in conversation with a global advertising agency (Ogilvy) to develop creative for a national messaging campaign.
Rollout of national messaging is tentatively targeted for 2025. Key milestones in Q3/Q4 2024 include preparing pool facilities, curriculum design, securing equipment, creating a suite of communications tools, training new coaches, certifying lifeguards, and educating students and parents about what’s coming and how to prepare for school on a “’swim day.”
Longer term (Q2, 2025 – Q4 2025) our commitment includes organizing swimming showcase events and launching a behavior change and awareness campaign. Additionally, the goal is to expand learn-to-swim programming to the most populous family islands (Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Eleuthera) and to begin programming that links learn-to-swim with conservation, job and educational opportunities, and national competition programs through in-school workshops, community showcases, and media reporting.
Two years out (Q1 2026 – Q4 2026) high-level measurable goals include ensuring that up to 50% of youth aged 5-11 have access to swim training, which will include learning to swim in pools and open water and mastering multiple strokes, messaging about swimming is ubiquitous and consistent, and community leaders (churches, social clubs) are supporting ‘Let’s Get Wet’ events that build engagement around – and in – community pools and beaches. This commitment imagines generational change and so the three-year term is simply phase one of a decades-long effort. The key will be to create enough momentum and a durable program that will withstand a change in government and/or other macro shifts in policy, priority, or attention.

Background

As an island nation whose territory is 97% ocean, approximately 90% of the Bahamian population can not swim well enough to save their own lives according to a study from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) . The Bahamas also has the fourth-highest rate of drowning regionally, largely driven by drowning deaths during hurricanes, a more frequent and devastating threat due to climate change. In 2019, during Hurricane Dorian, the difference between surviving or dying often came down to which family members could swim.
Moreover, continued economic growth in The Bahamas depends upon conservation and ‘Blue’ economic development; both are government priorities. However, government agencies, businesses large and small, and conservation groups struggle to find enough ‘swim-literate’ Bahamians to fill open roles, leaving expats to take those jobs. The Bahamas is an archipelago of 700 islands, with splendid beaches, diverse marine life, and eye-popping coral. Today, most Bahamians miss out on fully enjoying the splendor of their unique marine environment and cannot contribute to the blue economy and maritime-centered future economic growth.
The connection to women and girls is of vital importance: In a new SCF-commissioned survey of 1,000 Bahamians 75% of men reported feeling confident in the water vs 35% of women. And, 41% of women report not knowing how to swim at all vs 11% of men, revealing a gender-gap in both confidence and proficiency. As a result, women are at higher risk of death and face more limited educational and employment opportunities. Additionally, over 60% of households in the Bahamas are led by single women, representing a significant opportunity to overcome gender disparities while improving economic and climate resilience.
A bright-spot worth noting: In this same survey, 97% of respondents agreed that swimming is a necessary life skill for Bahamians

Progress Update

Partnership Opportunities

Best Practice – Introductions to implementing organizations of similar programs around the world.

Financial Resources – Additional sponsoring partners (public-facing recognition available) .

Implementing Partners – Introductions to world-class service providers willing to provide pro bono or low-cost support.

Media Support – Introductions to world-class creative and public relations agencies to provide pro bono or low-cost support.

Topic Expertise – Introductions to experts in aquatic safety and Bahamian culture., Best Practice – SCF’s team has experience leading multi-stakeholder behavior change initiatives and partnering with government. The Foundation has already, and will continue to offer strategic advice and workstream planning, as well as targeted skills-development support to commitment partners.

Financial Resources – SCF will offer grant funding by invitation (three cycles annually) with a minimum investment target of $250,000 per year, and through active fundraising from other sources.

Implementing Partners – Introductions to world-class service providers willing to provide pro bono or low-cost support for implementation.

Media Support – Introductions to world-class creative and public relations agencies willing to provide pro bono or low-cost support. Help with messaging crafting, media and communications strategy, and leverage of the highly visible SCF brand in support of swimming.