Developed by World Para Swimming, Swim Together enables participants to access swimming safety education through tailored and inclusive activities. The project is supported by World Para Swimming's sponsor Citi, a founding partner of the International Paralympic Committee's PARA SPORT Programme. The educational material is aimed at people with little or no swimming experience and the curriculum covers three key learning areas: Swimming Basics, Water Safety and Safe Rescue Skills. There are three levels to the Swim Together programme, each of them with six individual sessions and both practical activities and water safety messages. 

Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming, said: "Learn to swim programmes are an important tool in reducing drowning and saving lives. However, these programmes are not always accessible to groups such as young people and people with disabilities. That's the idea behind Swim Together, with a focus on those living in areas with fewer resources.

"Any swimming instructor, club or association will have access to the educational material, which has been tailored for different disability groups. Our aim is to increase knowledge and skills in swimming and water safety, raise public awareness and promote drowning interventions," added Nicholson. 

Ryan Djabbarah, Managing Director, Global Head of Sponsorships, Entertainment and Experiential at Citi, said: "As a proud supporter of PARA SPORT and Para swimmers, it's imperative that we continually look for ways to make swimming more inclusive and safer for all. The Swim Together programme is an excellent example of educating Para athletes and those who work with them to ensure both safety and accessibility." 

As an advocate for disability rights in her country, Singapore's five-time Paralympic champion Yip Pin Xiu knows the importance of projects like Swim Together."Growing up in Singapore, where the sea is all around us, learning to swim felt like a natural part of life, especially for children. However, apart from my parents, no one else thought me that I could learn to swim. I was lucky that my parents supported me and I found a coach who was not only brave, but smart enough to tailor her coaching to my needs," he said.

"Swim Together is a game changer for people with disabilities around the world. By providing a structured plan to help more coaches gain the confidence and acquire essential knowledge to coach people with disabilities, I hope that the joy, success and sense of belonging that I discovered through Para swimming will become much more accessible to others," added the Asian. 

Para Swimming is one of the five Para Sports for which the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) acts as the International Federation: World Para Athletics, World Para Ice Hockey, World Para Powerlifting, World Para Shooting and World Para Swimming. The IPC's vision is to create an inclusive world through Para sports.