Lifeguard & Swim Instructor

Ymcagta; Toronto; On-site; CAD 20,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team as a Lifeguard and Swim Instructor at a leading community organization dedicated to health and fitness. In this engaging role, you will teach swim lessons, maintain a safe aquatic environment, and develop meaningful relationships with participants. This position offers the chance to make a real difference in the lives of individuals while fostering a sense of community and belonging. If you are passionate about health, safety, and empowering others, this opportunity is perfect for you. Enjoy a flexible schedule and the chance to work with a diverse team committed to inclusivity and personal growth.

Qualifications

• Must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.
• Current certifications in Lifesaving Society awards required.

Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence to safety and lifeguarding procedures.
• Develop and implement weekly lesson plans for swim instruction.

Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Flexibility

Education

Lifesaving Society Certifications

YMCA Swim Instructor Certification

Job description

Job Category: Health & Fitness Program Delivery

Requisition Number: LIFEG004921

Posted: April 17, 2025

Employment Type: Contract Part-Time Hourly, 12 Months

Location: Central YMCA Health & Fitness Centre, 20 Grosvenor St, Toronto, ON M4Y, CAN

Work Hours: Hours will vary, minimum 3 hours/week

Number of Vacancies: Multiple

Anticipated Start Date: Immediately

Deadline to Apply: May 17, 2025 at 5:00pm

Be the Spark! Join our dynamic team of Lifeguards and Swim Instructors, where every day is different, and you will always be engaged with meaningful work!

The Instructor Swim Lessons position teaches and examines using the YMCA Swim Lesson program curriculum and resources. Instructors develop weekly lesson plans that identify the unique needs of the participants. Instructors maintain a safe environment at all times.

The Lifeguard position maintains a safe aquatic environment at all times, including meeting regulatory and YMCA requirements.

In this role, you will:

• Ensure all safety and life guarding procedures are adhered to, and respond in the event of an emergency as trained by the Association and the Lifesaving Society.
• Deliver course content and examine participants following established YMCA criteria.
• Develop and implement sequential weekly lesson plans.
• Recognize participant-learning styles and deliver content accordingly.
• Coach and develop participants to meet success.
• Communicate (verbal and written) child’s progress to parents and Team Leaders.
• Maintain accurate, up to date weekly progress sheets and records for participants.
• Take attendance, ensure participants are signed into and out of the program.
• Set up and take down recreational, program, and other equipment as required – at the same time check that equipment is safe and in good repair (reporting immediately all malfunctions and remove the damaged equipment immediately from circulation).
• Ensure qualifications and certifications as required by the YMCA and regulatory standards are current at all times.
• Participate actively in scheduled programs, meetings, and special events.
• Collaborate with individual program members, program volunteers, and YMCA program staff, assist and encourage program members to access additional appropriate programs offered at this location.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Lifeguard Responsibilities:

• Ensure all safety and life guarding procedures are adhered to, and in the event of an emergency, respond as trained by the Lifesaving Society and YMCA.
• Ensure that members, volunteers, and other staff adhere to pool conduct guidelines and maintain order in their designated area as a proactive approach to ensuring safety and accident prevention.
• Set up and take down recreational, program, and other equipment as required, while checking that equipment is safe and in good repair. Report immediately all malfunctions and remove damaged equipment immediately from circulation.
• Complete a safety check of lifesaving equipment prior to each shift.
• Assist the staff team in some cleaning duties related to the pool and equipment.
• Ensure qualifications and certifications as required by the YMCA and regulatory standards are current at all times.
• Actively participate in scheduled programs, meetings, and special events.
• Collaborate with individual program members, program volunteers, and YMCA program staff. Assist and encourage program members to access additional appropriate programs offered at this location.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

General Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate appropriate behaviours in line with our Mission, Vision and Values as reflected in our YMCA competencies; take a member focused approach to increase their understanding of programs offered across the Association. Represent the YMCA and the Association in a professional manner.
• Understand the legal responsibilities and moral imperative to report suspected child abuse to Children's Aid Society.
• Understand the importance of the volunteer staff partnership and integrates the value of philanthropy and volunteerism in dealings with members, volunteers, donors and staff.
• Perform other related duties to fulfill commitment to quality programs for all members as assigned from time to time by supervisor.

You bring:

• Must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment
• Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada
• Current certifications in the following Lifesaving Society awards: National Lifeguard (NL), Standard First Aid & CPR level C
• Current YMCA or Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor certification
• Previous experience instructing swim lessons an asset
• Well-developed interpersonal, and relationship building skills; ability to establish rapport and excellent communication with members, staff and volunteers
• Organizational skills
• Flexibility regarding assigned hours of work, weekday afternoons, evenings and weekends
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and building a sense of belonging

Lifeguard Qualifications:

• Current Certifications in the following Lifesaving Society awards: National Lifeguard (NL) Award, Standard First Aid & CPR level “C”
• Previous experience in lifeguarding an asset
• Well-developed interpersonal, and relationship building skills; ability to establish rapport and excellent communication with members, staff and volunteers
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and building a sense of belonging
• Flexibility regarding assigned hours of work, including early mornings, days, evenings and weekends
• Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services
• YMCA Competencies: Accountable, Relationship-Builder, Improvement-Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter

Why work for the YMCA?

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people/people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, disabled people/people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required.

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.