City hosting National Safe Swimming Recovery Program at the Eastlink Centre

The Eastlink Centre is the proud host facility for the National Safe Swimming Recovery Program (NSSRP), in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA). This initiative aims to address the national lifeguard shortage by offering subsidized certifications and employment opportunities for youth in the aquatics field.

The NSSRP is open to individuals from across the region aged 15 to 30 who are either a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected under the Refugee Act.

The program especially encourages participation from those who face barriers to employment, in particular, individuals who are:

·Indigenous.

·From low-income backgrounds.

·Living in rural/remote areas.

·A member of official language minority community.

·Visible minorities.

·Newcomers to Canada.

The NSSRP also has travel funding available for participants who may have difficulty attending certification courses due to commute cost, including subsidization of bus passes, mileage and more if required.

Key training dates at the Eastlink Centre

Training for NSSRP begins immediately, with the following subsidized courses available in Fall 2024

·Step one: October 7 to 9, Intermediate First Aid and Stroke Improvement.

·Step two: October 15 & 16, Bronze Medallion.

·Step three: October 21 to 23, Bronze Cross.

·Step four: October 28 to November 1, National Lifeguard.

This program is only available until December 2024 and interested participants are urged to complete the forms for placement into October courses to benefit from the funding.

Participants must be able to attend all sessions and each course is required to achieve a National Lifeguard Certification.

For full details about becoming a lifeguard, including fitness requirements, benefits and more, visit cityofgp.com/lifeguard.

Participants who successfully complete their National Lifeguard certification may be eligible for employment opportunities at the Eastlink Centre. See additional information about NSSRP or apply today at cityofgp.com/NSSRP.

Information provided by the City of Grande Prairie