Where It Starts

Whether you’ve come through Fear to Flow or you’re starting fresh, WaveMakers is about learning how to be in open water with more awareness, more ability and more calm.
Not just for yourself but for your future.

Who It's For

WaveMakers is for young people (14 to 21) who:

• Want to feel more confident and safe in open water

• Don’t have formal swim training but want to learn

• Enjoy nature and want to feel more at ease in it

• Are curious about wellbeing, personal development, or leadership

• May be thinking about future opportunities like lifeguarding or mentoring

This is a next step not a race.
You don’t have to swim well. You just have to be ready to learn.

Why Open Water?

Most swim programmes focus on pools but real life doesn’t.
We focus on open water because it’s what you actually encounter: beaches, rivers, lakes, wild spaces.

The skills you gain here are practical. They help you enjoy nature more, travel with confidence, and stay safe where there aren’t lifeguards or lane lines.

You’ll also get the mental benefits of time outdoors: fresh air, calm water, connection, space to think and breathe.

What You'll Learn

WaveMakers combines outdoor swim coaching with wellbeing support and real-life water safety.

Over the course of the programme, you’ll:

• Build comfort in open water environments

• Learn safe entry, floating, breathing and basic strokes

• Understand tides, temperature, terrain and how to respond

• Explore how water supports your emotional and mental wellbeing

• Take part in discussions, group reflection and personal goal setting

• Prepare for possible progression into Global Flow

This isn’t a school swimming lesson. It’s not about perfect technique or swimming fast.
WaveMakers is about learning the kind of water skills that keep you safe and open up new experiences while feeling supported, respected, and part of something.

We recognise that for many people, swimming was never an option. We’re here to make it one in a way that feels possible.

What Makes It Different

WaveMakers also introduces you to:

• Opportunities for leadership and peer support

• Entry points into outdoor employment (lifeguarding, guiding)

• A wider community of people who’ve come through the same journey

• The confidence to help others stay safe too

Beyond the Water

WaveMakers is delivered in outdoor settings with qualified instructors and trauma aware support staff.
Sessions are structured, but flexible. We take time to go at your pace, and work with what feels manageable.

Programmes are currently delivered in selected UK locations, with new groups launching throughout the year.

Locations and Format