News & Updates

For a second year in a row, Safety Training Awards, the awarding organisation of the Swimming Teachers’ Association (STA), has picked up an award at the Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) Awards – this year the team were thrilled to be named the 2024 ‘AO of the year for delivering real impact on equity, diversity and inclusion’ for its work in disability swimming.

In 2023, as part of the launch of the STA Award in Aquatic Teaching – Disability Swimming (STA DS) qualification, STA identified confidence levels in the teaching of children and adults with a disability was a major barrier. In response, STA launched a new EDI initiative called STArLIGHT aimed at upskilling swimming teachers and qualifying them as specialist disability swimming teachers – for free using the new STA DS qualification.

The name of the campaign, STArLIGHT, highlighted the need to shine a light on disability swimming by equipping swimming teachers with the skills and knowledge needed to teach disabled swimmers of all differing abilities.

Working in partnership with STA’s Approved Training Centres (ATCs) across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland over a six-month period, 500 swimming teachers successfully gained the STA Award in Aquatic Teaching – Disability Swimming (STA DS) qualification endorsed by CIMSPA.

As a result, an overwhelming majority (86%) of the newly-qualified disability teachers confirmed that they will be adapting all their swimming lessons to be more inclusive; with more than three-quarters also saying they now have the confidence to teach swimming to participants of all ages with all ranges of disabilities.

On winning the award for ‘AO of the year for delivering real impact on equity, diversity and inclusion’, STA’s CEO Dave Candler, said: “Over the last 12 months, STArLight has had a positive and far-reaching impact on the disability swimming teaching community, and go on to benefit tens of thousands of learners in the future – physically, emotionally, and mentally, and teach them key life skills that could one day save their life.”

“Bringing STArLight to life in such a short space of time, and making it a success was a huge team effort; I’m therefore delighted for the team and everyone who was involved, that their brilliant endeavours have been recognised by the FAB awards this year.”

Now in their 9th year, the FAB Awards recognise the contributions made by awarding organisations and their employees over the past year to education and skills. John McNamara, the Federation’s interim chief executive, said: “Congratulations to this year’s winners, who have demonstrated significant commitment to high quality qualifications and an unwavering commitment to learners and the wider sector.”