80% – 85% of adults over aged 20 cannot swim in Trinidad and Tobago. It is against this damning statistic that we started a swim school. The Eastern School of Life Saving (ESOL) was founded in 1999. It is a swimming school providing swimming, lifesaving, resuscitation, CPR and First Aid to children and adults in Trinidad and Tobago.
As a Ministry of Education accredited service provider, we provide swimming and lifesaving training at all levels from beginners to advance. Because we are a school of life saving our emphasis is on the safe and efficient delivery of our core curriculum. This is reflected in our method and approach to swimming education (whether sport/ work specific, competitive or recreational).
We maintain a staff of trained and certified instructors each with years of experience in the teaching of swimming and lifesaving skills. The ESOL is affiliated directly to the Royal Lifesaving Society (UK) and the Trinidad and Tobago Lifesaving Society. As swimming and lifesaving teachers we are members of the Institute of Swimming – IOS (UK) and the Swimming Teachers Association (UK)
We place a high emphasis on staff training and development and therefore provide consistent training for all of our instructors/ teachers through a weekly training program which we have maintained from inception (1999). This ensures that our teaching staff members are current and are better able to understand their role as swim teachers/ coaches and to improve the quality of the service we deliver to our students. We also provide consistent training opportunities for our other categories of staff so that we deliver a customer experience second to none.
What are the Goals of our Organization?
- To reduce the number of drownings in Trinidad and Tobago by providing education and training to many individuals.
- Early and safe introduction to swimming for children
- Providing opportunities for adults to learn to swim
- Raise awareness of the dangers of irresponsible behaviors in and around water.
- Teach safe habits.
- Provide a positive outlet to youths through the discipline of sport.
- Provide the foundation for career opportunities in the aquatic field or other fields e.g. the teaching service, airline industry, lifeguarding, swimming teaching, offshore work or the military.
- Provide lifeguard education and training
- Identify and develop exceptional performers for national service (Olympics etc)
