This project has been funded with support from the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme. This publication reflects the views only of the author(s), and the European Union and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Open Water Swimming for All – OWS4ALL
Project Summary
Open Water Swimming for All – OWS4ALL is an Erasmus+ Sport small-scale partnership project aimed at promoting safe, inclusive and accessible participation in open water swimming for persons with disabilities and other participants who require adapted support. The project brings together organisations from Croatia and Slovenia with complementary expertise in open water swimming, swimming education, safety in aquatic environments and inclusion of persons with disabilities.
The project is coordinated by Klub daljinskog plivanja Primorje / Open Water Swimming Club Primorje from Rijeka, Croatia, an organisation with extensive experience in organising open water swimming events, marathon swimming activities and Erasmus+ Sport projects. The Slovenian partners include Športno društvo Plavalna akademija Rok Kerin / Sport Club Swim Academy Rok Kerin, specialised in swimming education, open water swimming methodology and water safety, and Društvo za cerebralno paralizo Sonček Posavje / Sonček Posavje Cerebral Palsy Association, an organisation experienced in direct work with persons with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, their families and support persons.
The main objective of OWS4ALL is to make open water swimming more accessible, safer and more inclusive by developing and testing a practical model of preparation, support and participation for persons with disabilities. The project focuses on reducing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from taking part in open water swimming activities, such as fear of open water, lack of adapted preparation, limited access to trained support persons, insufficient safety awareness and the absence of inclusive event models.
Open water swimming offers important physical, psychological and social benefits. It supports general fitness, confidence, independence, social inclusion and connection with nature. However, for persons with disabilities, participation in open water environments requires careful preparation, adapted methodology, visible safety equipment, cooperation between swimmers and assistants, and a supportive event structure. OWS4ALL responds to these needs by combining pool-based preparation, safety education, practical testing and inclusive participation in open water swimming events.
The project methodology is based on a gradual and safe approach. Participants are first introduced to the basic principles of safe swimming, movement in water, use of swimming buoys and communication with assistants in controlled pool conditions. This preparatory phase allows participants, coaches, volunteers and support persons to assess swimming abilities, confidence, individual needs and the level of support required. Based on this preparation, selected participants are then supported in taking part in open water swimming activities under controlled and adapted conditions.
A key element of the project is the use of swimming buoys as safety and visibility equipment. The swimming buoy increases the visibility of swimmers in open water, provides additional psychological security and helps participants, assistants and organisers maintain better control during open water activities. Through the project, participants are introduced to the correct use of buoys and to basic safety procedures before entering open water environments.
The project includes a pool-based pilot activity in Slovenia, organised in Terme Čatež, where participants with disabilities, assistants, coaches and project representatives tested the preparatory model in practice. This activity served as an important first step in assessing readiness, introducing safety equipment and strengthening cooperation between the swimming and disability inclusion sectors. The experience gained during the pool-based activity will support the preparation of participants for the open water event in Croatia.
The Croatian open water activity is connected with the Cres swimming event and the Valun–Cres swimming marathon, organised in memory of Florio Burburan, a swimmer with a disability and an important symbol of inclusion in open water swimming. Through this connection, OWS4ALL links the project objectives with an existing sporting tradition and gives the project a strong human, local and symbolic dimension. The project promotes the message that open water swimming can be adapted and opened to a wider group of participants when safety, preparation and inclusion are carefully planned.
The target groups of the project include persons with disabilities, swimmers with different levels of experience, assistants, family members, volunteers, swimming coaches, sport clubs, local sport organisers and organisations working with persons with disabilities. By involving both sport organisations and disability-focused organisations, the project creates a bridge between two sectors that do not always cooperate closely, although their cooperation is essential for inclusive sport participation.
The expected results of the project include improved knowledge of safe and inclusive open water swimming, increased confidence of participants with disabilities, strengthened cooperation between Croatian and Slovenian organisations, and the development of a practical model that can be used by other sport clubs and event organisers. The project also contributes to raising awareness about the importance of accessibility, visibility, support systems and adapted preparation in open water swimming.
In addition to direct activities with participants, OWS4ALL includes dissemination and communication activities aimed at promoting inclusive sport, sharing project experiences and encouraging other organisations to introduce adapted and safe open water swimming activities. The project website, social media communication, partner networks, local events and final dissemination activities will be used to reach sport clubs, disability organisations, public institutions and the wider community.
The long-term value of OWS4ALL lies in its practical and transferable approach. Instead of treating inclusion as a separate or symbolic activity, the project integrates inclusion into real sport settings, using existing open water swimming events and adapting them through preparation, safety planning and cooperation with disability organisations. This approach can serve as a model for future inclusive swimming events in Croatia, Slovenia and other European countries.
Through OWS4ALL, the partners aim to demonstrate that open water swimming can become more than a competitive or recreational activity. With the right preparation, support and safety measures, it can become a meaningful tool for inclusion, empowerment, health promotion and community connection. The project therefore contributes to the wider Erasmus+ Sport priorities of inclusion, equal opportunities, participation in sport and promotion of healthy and active lifestyles for all.