The instructor & organizational trainings are geared towards instructors, facilitators, and other water weavers who want to deepen their practice and orient towards a healing-centered, de-colonial lens. Through embodied practice, self inquiry, discussion, and direct instruction, participants are given the inspiration as well as practical tools and frameworks to infuse deeper levels of safety, meaning, healing, and joy into their work. Trainings can also be tailored to the the specific need of the group/organization, in particular environmental education/justice groups who support communities of color to connect with the water and earth!
Aquatic Instructors & Organizations
This five part training is designed for swim instructors and aquatic centers who work with communities historically excluded from aquatic environments (BIPOC, Womxn, Queer folks, etc). Rooted in the Black experience with water, the theories and tools are also applicable to supporting other groups who have experienced oppression (other POC groups, womxn, queer folks, survivors of sexual assault). Participants will expand their understanding of how systems of oppression impact swim, how this shows up in their students, and what tools and opportunities exist to create an environment where marginalized students are more likely to show up, and to feel safe, seen, and centered. For the fullest understanding, it is recommended to engage in all segments, but they can be engaged individually as well!
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Segment 1: Swim and the African Diaspora;
A Political and Cultural View This workshop is an invitation into the African Diaspora’s journey with water. We travel from culturally amphibious West African nations, through the middle passage, and explore water based spiritual practices within African-American and Afro-Indigenous cultures. Arriving into the present day where Black Americans are up to 10 times as likely to drown as white Americans, this workshop explores the questions - How did we get here? Why does this journey matter and how does it impact swim students? What are the challenges and opportunities present? *This workshop centers an Afro-Indigenous perspective but theories and lessons can be applied to other cultures and groups. Upon request, the segment can be extended to include a focus on identity/cultural group(s) outside of the African Diaspora depending on the demographic of the students and at the request of the host organization. This 3.5-hour workshop is designed to take place in a classroom/on land and can accommodate up to 20 people. |
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Segment 2: Experiential Learning
This segment is an experiential dive into culturally relevant and trauma informed swim facilitation through embodied participation. Participants are guided through a swim workshop and encouraged to be present and learn through experience. We also take some time on land/classroom to debrief and analyze the facilitation, and consider how tools may be best applied to the particular circumstance of each participant. This 3-hour workshop is designed to mostly take place in water (ideally in a pool above 90 degrees) with some land/classroom time. It can accommodate up to 10 people. |
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Segment 3: Healing Oriented & Trauma Informed Instruction
In this segment, we examine the impact that water has on our physiology and the opportunity for healing that this presents. Immersing yourself in water is a sensory potent experience, so the potential for both experiencing trauma and healing trauma is greater than other environments. This segment guides students through the western science take on the impact of water on the nervous system as well as Afro-Indigenous knowledge around water as an energetic and spiritual conductor. Participants gain a deeper understanding of the importance and practice of trauma informed instruction. This 3 hour workshop is designed to take place in a classroom/on land and can accommodate up to 20 people. |
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Segment 4: Roadmap for Decolonizing Swim Instruction
This training supports participants to more deeply understand why and how racism, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression impact swimmers’ experiences. Through lecture, discussion, and embodied practices, we acknowledge and begin to unravel the structures that uphold the staggering disparities in swim capability. This segment includes frameworks and tools for decolonizing your practice and/or aquatic environment. This 3 hour workshop is designed to take place in a classroom/on land and can accommodate up to 20 people. |
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Segment 5: Integration & Curriculum Workshop
This is an invitation to create, practice, workshop, and expand your instruction, with the support of expert curriculum developers. Building upon the experiences and skills gained in the previous segments, this workshop is a deep dive into knowledge application. Through guided activities, scenarios, feedback and conversation, participants integrate their learnings into curriculum creation and practice. Participants walk away having developed materials, practices, and the first draft of a curriculum of their choosing. This 3-hour workshop is designed to take place on land/classroom. It can accommodate up to 20 people. |
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Facilitation for Healing & Joy
The Facilitation for Healing & Joy Training Series is geared towards facilitators (who's work takes place on land or water)
who are working to create healing and joy oriented spaces.
who are working to create healing and joy oriented spaces.
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Segment 1: Experiential Learning
This segment is an experiential dive into culturally relevant and trauma informed facilitation through embodied participation. Participants are guided through a swim workshop and encouraged to be present and learn through experience. We also take some time on land/classroom to debrief and analyze the facilitation, and consider how tools may be best applied to the particular circumstance of each participant. This 2-3 hour workshop is designed to mostly take place in water (ideally in a pool above 90 degrees) with some land/classroom time. It can accommodate up to 10 people. |
Segment 2: Facilitation for
Healing & Joy Framework Using a framework that draws from Black and Indigenous leaders and writers, this segment supports participants to get into the nuts and bolts of reorienting our facilitation practices towards wholeness. We will focus on three core principles: Invite Support, Respond to Energy, Honor the Container. Through hands-on activities, lecture, and conversation, participants become familiar with the tools presented, and go home with the framework as a reference guide. This 3 hour workshop is designed to take place in a classroom/on land and can accommodate up to 20 people. |
Segment 3: Integration &
Curriculum Building This is an invitation to create, practice, workshop, and expand your instruction, with the support of an expert curriculum developer. Building upon the experiences and skills gained in the previous segments, this workshop is a deep dive into knowledge application. Through guided activities, scenarios, feedback and conversation, participants integrate their learnings into curriculum creation and practice. Participants walk away having developed materials, practices, and the first draft of a curriculum of their choosing. This 3-hour workshop is designed to take place on land/classroom. It can accommodate up to 20 people. |
Decolonizing Environmental Education
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Segment 1: Embodiment & Theory
This training supports participants to more deeply understand why and how racism, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression impact environmental education. Through lecture, discussion, and embodied practices, we also lean into an embodied experience of decolonized instruction, and connect the dots between theory and practice. This 3-hour workshop is designed to take place on land/classroom. It can accommodate up to 20 people. |
Segment 2: Framework & Tools
Using a framework that draws from Black and Indigenous writers and story tellers, this segment supports participants to get into the nuts and bolts of reorienting our facilitation practices towards wholeness. Through hands on activities and conversation participants become familiar with the tools presented, and go home with the framework as a reference guide. This 3-hour workshop is designed to take place on land/classroom. It can accommodate up to 20 people. |
Segment 3: Integration & Application
This is an invitation to create, practice, workshop, and expand your instruction, with the support of expert curriculum developers. Building upon the experiences and skills gained in the previous segments, this workshop is a deep dive into knowledge application. Through guided activities, scenarios, feedback and conversation, participants integrate their learnings into curriculum creation and practice. Participants walk away with practical support tools and the first draft of a curriculum of their choosing. This 3-hour workshop is designed to take place on land/classroom. It can accommodate up to 20 people. |