Lifeguard Certificate
For years, Parks & Recreation struggles to open all of the public pools due to a lifeguard shortage. To fill that need, and to provide an opportunity for teens to develop work history and expand their professional networks, in 2023, we piloted in partnership with Drexel University and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation an opportunity for teens to get paid to earn their lifeguard certification. We received 248 applications in 9 days, for just 15 openings. To remove all barriers, we provide teens with everything from goggles, to a bathing cap, a bathing suit, a towel, slides, a water bottle, a backback and Fab Youth Philly t-shirt or hoodie.
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To date. we've run three cohorts of the lifeguard certificate, however, we've found that about 90% of the 500+ teens that have applied for this program since January 2023, don't swim well enough to test into the lifeguard training. In April 2024, we were awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency to expand our program to include a 'paid skill-building' program to help teens be more test ready for the lifeguard certificate course.​
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​In addition to getting their certification, teens participate in weekly workshops learning how to create a resume and a LinkedIn profile, and get support completing the application making them eligible to work at parks & Recreation as a lifeguard over the summer (and beyond!). We have partnered with the Drexel Health Hub & CHOP to help teens get their necessary physical exam. ​
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To tackle the issues of inadequate swimming skills, limited pool openings, and insufficient dignified employment opportunities for teenagers, FYP has received funding from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Healthier Together program (CHOP) to offer learn-to-swim (L2S) classes.
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The Inaugural Partners
Philadelphia Parks
& Recreation:
Water Safety Instructors
Drexel University
Athletics Department:
Pool Time
West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood:
Youth Salaries & Supplies
Drexel University
Heath Hub:
Physical Exams for Employment
with additional support to fund & implement future cohorts from
Connelly Foundation
Opioid Response Fund
YMCA
Temple University Athletics
CHOP: Healthier Together
"You believed I could do it."
That's what one of the teens said to Rebecca as he was leaving his first official day of lifeguard training. "S" is one of the 16 teens who showed up to take a 3-part swim test he needed to pass in order to participate in our paid lifeguard certification program we are piloted with Drexel University Athletics and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.
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"S" didn't pass on the first try. Rebecca was worried that he might not come back the following week to try again. But he did! And he worked hard again, though started to get discouraged as he was getting tired and he got out of the water. Rebecca tried all of the tricks in her bag to get him back in the water one last time, but he wasn't having it, and went to get changed, along with the other teens who had passed the test.
The instructor said to Rebecca that he thought "S" would be able to pass if he kept coming back and doing the work, so she told "S" to get his on-boarding paperwork so he could start the job the following week.
The following week, the teens started their training in earnest, watching a water safety video, then applying in the pool what they had learned in the classroom. After a little more than an hour in the pool, it was time to go. As the teens staggered out of the locker rooms, "S" came over to sign out and said to me: "Rebecca, I want to thank you for letting me come back again this week." Rebecca said to him: "I am so glad you came back, you put in the hard work and I'm really proud of you. You did the most important thing, which is show up and work hard." He replied, “Yeah, but you believed I could do it."
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Are you a teen (15-19 y/o) or do you know one who would like to learn more about our lifeguard programming?
Make sure you follow us on
Social Media @fabyouthphilly to know when our applications go live!
