It Started With an Idea

All-In Swim, JCC Chicago’s learn-to-swim and water safety program for children with autism spectrum disorder, was ideated by one aquatics specialist who recognized the typical swim lessons could be modified to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities. And from there, All-In Swim launched in 2015. Today, the program teaches 50 children with ASD and other disabilities to learn to swim in an inclusive and welcoming environment.

And from this idea, sprouted others.

In honor of April’s Autism Awareness Month, we want to highlight the many community funders who believe in JCC Chicago’s programming and are helping the agency develop innovative and impactful programming to meet the needs of individuals of all abilities:

• The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust provided grant support that enabled JCC Chicago to purchase iPads and waterproof cases for aquatics staff to use during All-In Swim lessons, helping to facilitate communication between the instructor and student through the use of pictures, videos and images—an especially important feature for children who are non-verbal. The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust also provided support for the expansion of All-In Swim to JCC’s nine day camps. This summer, 200 children with special needs will learn to swim confidently alongside their camp peers.
• Autism Speaks Local Grant awarded funding towards the development of a unique and customized digital app to be used during the swim lessons on the iPads. Using the app will make communication between the instructor, the participant and the participant’s family more efficient by sharing updates, videos, photos and messages in real time. The participant’s parents will be able to see their child’s progress and goals through the app on their own device.

• The Alvin H. Baum Family Fund provided support for additional training for aquatics instructors using the All-In Swim method, a 20-hour training program. This will help the program expand the capacity to teach more students and serve more families.
• In January 2017, JCC Chicago launched All- Star Abilities, a new peer-to-peer fitness program for teens with and without disabilities to learn to navigate a fitness center, participate in adaptive exercise classes, and socialize. The program recently launched its second cohort, engaging a total of 88 teens to date. All-Star Abilities is supported by the Breakthrough Fund: An Innovation of the Jewish United Fund Metropolitan Chicago.

These initiatives enhance JCC Chicago’s long running inclusive summer camp program. In partnership with Keshet, JCC Chicago’s residential camp, Camp Chi, and its nine day camps, have been welcoming children and young adults with disabilities in an inclusion model for the past 20 years.

This is what inclusion looks like at JCC Chicago.

To learn more about any of these initiatives, please visit jccchicago.org/specialneeds