Conference speaker Kurt heralds ‘great’ swimming workforce

“It’s great to see and meet people who are doing a great thing.”

That was the reaction from speaker Kurt Lindley when asked to summarise the Swim England Teaching and Education Conference 2019.

Swim teachers, educators, CPD presenters, assessors, approved training centres, and for that matter anyone delivering school swimming and water safety, were among the 350-plus guests on the day.

That workforce converged – from across England and Wales – on the West Midlands to network and discuss key topics relating to swimming.

And after delivering his inspiring and thought-provoking workshops exploring the Swim England values, Kurt explained why he looks forward to the annual event.

Conversation starter

“I’ve done three or four Swim England Teaching and Education Conferences now, and what pleased me most this time was how much people were starting to lean into conversations with people they didn’t know,” said the founder of Be More Learning and Development.

“The important thing with these events is not just what you learn from the speakers in the workshops but what you choose to learn about people when you come out of the sessions into breaks – and even what you can take home.”

Kurt was also quick to pay tribute to the nation’s swim teachers and wider swimming workforce.

“It’s great to see and meet people who are doing a great thing,” he added.

“I’ve got a six-year-old daughter and it’s important for me to make sure that she learns to swim and learns to swim with confidence. It’s not just about being able to stay afloat, it’s about doing what she wants in the water with her friends and family.

A sense of togetherness

“The group of people who choose to come to this event are saying ‘I always want to get better and I want to spend more quality time doing more purposeful activities.

“I want to provide a sense of togetherness to the children who are in the water or, when I’m an educator, the new teachers coming through. Equally, I want to add some fun to their day’.

“The group of people who come to this event are saying that’s what they want and that’s why they keep coming back and working in this space.”

• Read more great stories from the Swim England Teaching and Education Conference here.