One of the things that makes WeSwim special is our community. We want everyone to feel welcome and included, and to enjoy swimming in a way that feels right for them.
These guidelines explain how you can help us to make WeSwim a friendly, respectful and safe place to belong.
Be kind and welcoming
Everyone comes to WeSwim for different reasons. Some people are building confidence in the water, some come to socialise, and some just enjoy swimming.
A smile, a hello or an encouraging word from a fellow swimmer can make a big difference.
We’d love your help to make sure everyone feels included and supported.
Respect everyone's choices
Everyone communicates differently. Some people enjoy chatting before and after sessions. Some prefer a quieter evening. Some people enjoy hugs or high fives, while others don't.
Where possible, ask before starting physical contact or continuing a personal conversation. If someone says no, moves away, seems uncomfortable or doesn't respond, please respect their choice and give them space. If someone has already asked you not to do something, please remember and respect that the next time you see them too.
Please call people by the name and pronoun they prefer. Avoid using pet names such as “babe”, “darling” or “sweetheart”.
If you're ever unsure, it's always best to ask.
Respect privacy
Everyone has the right to keep some things private. Please don't share someone else's personal information, photos or stories without their permission.
If someone doesn't want to answer a question or continue a conversation, that's OK, please respect that choice.
Physical Contact
Sometimes you may need physical support from a volunteer in the water, they should always ask before touching you and if you are ever uncomfortable please let the volunteer know and if necessary talk to a committee member. We want to make sure everyone is well supported and comfortable in the water.
Swimmers should also ask permission before touching volunteers, including before giving someone a hug. Some volunteers may be comfortable with providing more physical support than others so please respect their boundaries.
Friendships and Relationships at WeSwim
We're delighted when friendships grow through WeSwim. We encourage people to chat before getting in the pool, and after the session over some biscuits.
Whatever happens, we ask everyone to continue treating each other with kindness and respect at our sessions so that everyone feels welcome.
Help make WeSwim welcoming
WeSwim works because everyone plays a part. You can help by:
Using our WhatsApp groups
Our WhatsApp groups are here to help our community stay connected. We keep an eye on the chats but they aren’t moderated all the time.
Please:
Each WhatsApp group also has its own group description with more guidance about using that particular chat, including things not to share. We may delete posts that don’t meet the guidelines. Please take a moment to read it when you join.
If you want to continue a conversation with someone, please ask first before moving onto a private message.
Volunteers and the WeSwim team
Our volunteers are here to support during WeSwim sessions and events. As you come to more sessions you’ll get to know different volunteers. We don't allocate swimmers their own volunteer and we encourage everyone to swim with different people. Volunteers don't come every week, and we can't always support requests to swim with a particular person. We hope you'll see changing volunteers as an opportunity to meet someone new.
To help keep everyone safe and comfortable, we ask that contact between swimmers and volunteers stays within WeSwim sessions, events and official WeSwim communication channels.
Our volunteers don't share personal phone numbers or social media accounts with swimmers they support through WeSwim. Please don't ask, this is a boundary we ask all volunteers to follow.
If you have any questions or need support between sessions, please contact the WeSwim team.
How Clubs are run
Each Club is run by a team of volunteers that we call the committee. Committee members are there to help sessions run safely and smoothly and can support with questions or issues that arise during a session.
WeSwim sessions are friendly, sociable and often busy. We try to give everyone the support they need to make the most of our pool space and volunteers so that as many people as possible can enjoy WeSwim while swimming safely. This means we can't always meet individual preferences, but we will always try to make sure everyone feels supported and welcome.
We often get together after swimming over biscuits. Please note that we can't guarantee an allergen free environment, so everyone is responsible for managing their own dietary requirements.
Volunteers are not responsible for managing ongoing concerns, complaints, individual support arrangements or repeated requests from parents and carers. These should be directed to the WeSwim staff team.
If something doesn't feel right
If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, or you're worried about yourself or someone else, please speak to a volunteer, committee member or a member of the WeSwim team.
Committee members can help with issues that arise during a session, but ongoing concerns, complaints or questions about someone's support should be raised directly with the WeSwim staff team.
If you have any questions please contact us, we are always happy to help.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our team either by email on info@weswim.club, or by phone on 07399 217921