Australian organisation AUSTSWIM and Swimming Matters make swim teaching more inclusive in India

AUSTSWIM and Swimming Matters are announced a new initiative “Swimming for All: Making Teaching of Swimming and Water Safety Inclusive” which was made possible through partial funding from the Australian Consulate-General, Bengaluru.

This initiative will see AUSTSWIM extension courses this November designed to train teachers in making swimming more inclusive with a focus on infants and people with disabilities.

Led by experienced AUSTSWIM Trainer Katrina Scarpin from Australia, the AUSTSWIM courses include: 

• Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics (Nov 10-11, 2025; Nov 18-19, 2025), focusing on water safety for children under 4 years. 
• Teacher of Aquatics – Access and Inclusion (Nov 12-14, 2025), equipping instructors to teach people with disabilities, chronic conditions, and from diverse cultural backgrounds. This course is being offered for the first time in India.

These internationally accredited courses aim to up skill Indian swim teachers in inclusive aquatic education, thereby addressing critical gaps in safety, access, and skills within the growing swim community. It aligns with Swimming Matters’ vision to make aquatic participation and excellence an integral part of Indian culture.

“I would call these courses groundbreaking. Traditionally, swimming programs have not addressed the unique needs of children below four years or learners with different learning needs, leaving many unable to access foundational water safety skills that can save lives and build lifelong confidence. Roughly 1 in 20 people in India live with some form of disability, and they stand to benefit developmentally, physically, psychologically, and emotionally through aquatic engagement. Even teaching infants to swim early is vital to build gross motor skills and to overcome innate fears of water, helping develop swimming as a life skill that we believe every Indian should have. These courses will give Indian swim teachers the knowledge, skills and understanding to allow a person under their care to enjoy the aquatic environment safely while accommodating all their specific needs,” said Munazza Habibulla, CEO, Swimming Matters.

Responding to a clear and growing preference among infants and people with disabilities for women swim teachers, Swimming Matters is actively prioritizing women in its teacher training programs. For the upcoming courses, it is offering two full scholarships per course dedicated exclusively to women educators.

"Women educators are in high demand in India where cultural and familial preferences matter deeply. Yet, women remain underrepresented in swim teaching roles due to systemic barriers and limited training opportunities. We hope our courses offering certified AUSTSWIM credentials, coupled with the support we provide through scholarships, create a ripple effect, resulting in more women becoming champions and role models within our aquatic ecosystem," Munazza said.

"Australia and India share a passion for sport. We are proud to partner with Swimming Matters to bring AUSTSWIM’s curriculum to Bengaluru, supporting the growth of swimming education in India. Partnerships like these enhance the wellbeing and sporting culture of both our countries," said Hilary McGeachy, Australian Consul General, Bengaluru.

“AUSTSWIM has been committed to delivering the highest quality swimming and water safety education for over 45 years. Our focus is on preparing confident, passionate teachers who empower communities to be safer in and around water. Swimming Matters is our long and trusted provider in India and we are excited to continue our work with them to extend our mission globally by providing inclusive, industry-leading training that equips teachers to meet diverse learner needs and foster a lifelong love and respect for water safety,” said Kaitlin Preston-Hele, Manager – International at AUSTSWIM.

Swimming Matters has conducted 60 courses across India since its inception, training 650+ swim teachers and helping thousands learn and enjoy swimming safely and correctly.