Nature Connection
Nature Exploration
Forest Retreat
Nature Camping
Currently, Syatt Swims focuses on developing fundamental water safety and swimming skills for youth with a clear progression toward professional certification. Our program creates a pipeline that transforms swimmers into:
This program builds swimming skills and offers professional certification that leads to jobs. Participants can become certified lifeguards, water safety instructors, or aquatic professionals. Lifeguarding provides good starter income for teens and part-time work for adults, but the real financial opportunity comes when participants become private swim instructors or start their own water safety businesses. Each person we train improves water safety and gains valuable skills they can monetize.
While our current programs are making an impact, we have a more ambitious vision. Syatt is developing a pioneering Aquatic Health Equity Lab that will empower Cleveland youth to become water safety professionals, data collectors, policy advocates, and entrepreneurs.
This "grow your own" model transforms swim instruction into a racial justice strategy—starting with CPR and lifeguard certification and culminating in youth-led aquatic enterprises and policy redesign. Through research, storytelling, and civic partnerships, the project will disrupt who defines health knowledge and reshape public health infrastructure in Black communities for generations to come.
The Aquatic Health Equity Lab will include:
With Black children drowning at 5.5 times the rate of white children, our program builds skills that create both safety and financial opportunities.
We're seeking partners and funders who understand that addressing this requires more than swim lessons. Your support helps us train the next generation of aquatic leaders who will make water safety accessible to all Cleveland children and create a model other communities can follow.
Syatt’s programs connect people to nature, culture, and skills that inspire curiosity, confidence, and stewardship.
We help organizations build stronger teams, more imaginative programs, and deeper connections with the people they serve. With over 17 years of experience grounded in real-world work—not theory—we bring practical insight, sharp strategy, and fresh perspective to every partnership.
