DE23 Active's Swimming Session Success!

Thanks to this successful working partnership, Everyone Active is now seen as a safe space for many, demonstrating the power of listening, adapting, and fostering inclusivity.

Since the introduction of DE23 Active's women-only swimming sessions in June 2023, 20 women have learned to swim through the sessions alone. However, the journey to creating a truly inclusive and culturally sensitive space was not without challenges.

When DE23 Active first launched these sessions at Everyone Active, they encountered significant barriers. These included:

• Male lifeguards entering the pool during women-only sessions.
• Male members of the public accessed private changing areas reserved for the women’s group while they were still inside.
• Double-booking issues, an admin error whereby sessions were double-booked with another session, which resulted in some of our women experiencing racist remarks from members of the public.

Determined not to let go of these vital sessions, the DE23 Active team engaged in multiple discussions with the Everyone Active senior management team, addressing concerns and highlighting the impact these incidents had on the community.

Through these conversations, a commitment to change was forged, leading to cultural competency training delivered by the DE23 Active team to the senior management team at Everyone Active.

Following the training and ongoing collaboration, Everyone Active made significant changes to the way they operate:

• Signs were placed on private changing areas and pool entrances, clearly stating when women-only sessions were in progress.
• A female-only gym session was introduced on Sundays.
• Windows are fully blocked out, and only female staff are on duty to ensure comfort and privacy.
• Special women & children sessions were introduced, where participants have exclusive access to the entire facility. Only female staff and lifeguards are present.
• Many women at the sessions have noticed the friendliness of the staff and lifeguards, reinforcing the positive shift in the environment.

This transformation has had a profound impact on the local community. Everyone Active now recognises the importance of making their sessions culturally inclusive, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The Chief Imam’s wife heavily endorses these sessions to other women in the community.

Thanks to this successful working partnership, Everyone Active is now seen as a safe space for many, demonstrating the power of listening, adapting, and fostering inclusivity.

Find out more about our DE23 Active programme here.