Swimming NSW is committed to practically implementing the recommendations from Swimming Australia’s Independent Panel investigation into women and girls’ experiences in our sport.
With the support of NSW Health under the Mental Health Sports Fund, Swimming NSW is delivering our collaborative program, Swim Confident.
Swim Confident provides evidence-based educational programming that focuses on improving body image for swimmers, and engaging club volunteers and coaches to create cultural change in relation to the way that bodies are talked about and treated in our sport.
Research developed by Dr Georgie Buckley, Organisational Manager of Body Confident Collective, demonstrated that 60% of athletes have body image concerns and disordered eating, which is a rate three times higher than the occurrence in non-athletes. Dr Buckley’s research has evidenced negative mental health impacts are particularly prominent in young people and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns.
All athletes may experience body image concerns and disordered eating, but research shows that women and girls, and particularly those in aesthetically focused sports such as swimming, are vulnerable.
Swim Confident educational programming will be delivered to all Swimming NSW stakeholders including coaches, parents, committee members, staff and athletes from the grassroots to high performance arenas, primarily via face-to-face training and webinars. Visit our Swim Confident Webinars & Resources section below to register for upcoming sessions.
Swimming NSW’s Youth Advisory Panel play an integral role in this program, undergoing training to develop their own Change Maker projects which will result in long term cultural change at their home clubs.
If you are interested in learning more about Swim Confident and participating in the program, contact (josh.karp@nsw.swimming.org.au).
Swim Confident Webinars & Resources
- Swim Confident e-Learning course
- an introductory module that runs for around 30 minutes and comes with free downloadable resources, interactive videos, reflective questions and clear strategies for action
- two bonus modules
- bonus module 1: strategies for creating lasting change in swimming – beyond the basics, focuses on how to celebrate diversity, evaluate policy in your club, why you shouldn’t weigh athletes, making food more than just fuel and more!
- bonus module 2: delves deeper into eating disorders and disordered eating in sport, covers what typical symptoms look like and how people can safely support someone with an eating disorder or disordered eating to get the support they need
- Guides and downloadable resources
- 2023 Youth Advisory Panel 'change maker' projects
The FREE e-learning course includes:
This year’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) members were invited to come up with a 'change maker' idea/project for the Swim Confident program - a key focus of the SNSW 2023 Youth Leadership Camp - that targeted four key areas: communication, clothing, culture, and connection.
Our YAP members are determined to influence permanent change and well on their way to success. Swimming NSW and the Body Confident Collective are very impressed with their ongoing efforts to promote a positive body image and are excited to share their achievements.
Body Confident Collective
- About
The Body Confident Collective was a health promotion charity and body image research translation organisation, co-founded by three body image experts in 2020. The organisation has since disbanded but has left a lasting legacy for Sporting orgnisations like us to make a difference.
