A London woman has become the first wheelchair-user in the UK to qualify as both a swimming teacher andĀ lifeguard.
Helen Bull, who isĀ employed as a swimming teacher at the prestigious London AquaticsĀ Centre, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, retrained through Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) College after aĀ break of nearly 20 years. She successfully passed the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK)Ā National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) with reasonable adjustments for herĀ needs:
Helen explains:
Being a swimming teacher is the most rewarding job I have ever had, so qualifying throughĀ GLL as both a swimming teacher and a lifeguard, has been a huge boost…
The qualifications are tough though; reasonable adjustments donāt mean I get let off with an easier course or assessments. The whole process is as strict for me as for the otherĀ candidates.
Ella Gosden, Business Development Manager for GLL College, added:
GLL pride themselves on being open and inclusive employers and weāre particularly keenĀ that passionate and dedicated employees like Helen donāt feel their opportunities areĀ restricted. The diversity of our team goes a long way to attracting and retaining bothĀ customers and employees alike.
As the leisure industry continues to look at ways of increasing diversity in the sector and ensuring its workforce is best placed to reflect the communities it serves, campaigns such asĀ the RLSS UKās #BeaLifesaver and the flexibility of qualifications such as the NPLQ, areĀ becoming increasingly important.
Jo Talbot from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), said:
Lifeguards and swimming teachers are just two of many roles that can kickstart a career inĀ the leisure industry.Ā Your local leisure operator serves a diverse community of customers and it is in everyoneāsĀ interest that their team members reflect this.
As the leading provider of water safety qualifications and training, RLSS UK prides itself onĀ a creative and innovative approach to helping people into work, yet still ensuring our coursesĀ maintain and develop the prerequisite rigour and robustness required.
Helen now has her sights set on becoming an RLSS UK Trainer Assessor, so she can share her passion for the water by training others. She added:
I donāt really see my disability as holding me back, Iām just determined to keep doing theĀ work I love the most.
Photo: Helen Bull on lifeguard duty, GLL