The Exchange Webinar Series : insights for swim people

The Exchange webinar series brings together practical, relevant professional development for swim teachers, leaders, and swim school operators across Aotearoa and beyond.

Throughout the series, you’ll hear from an inspiring mix of New Zealand and international speakers on topics that matter, from swim teaching and programme delivery to leadership, growth, and the day-to-day realities of running a swim school. Big school or small swim schools, city-based or rural, new to the industry or decades deep, this series is for you:. It’s free for everyone - no memberships, no affiliations, no conditions.

PD matters. For years, swim school professionals across Aotearoa have looked for professional development that’s accessible, relevant, and grounded in real swim school life. This series exists because of that call. I’ve invited respected colleagues and sector experts to generously share their knowledge, experience, and perspectives with the New Zealand swim school community . . .  our community.

Why You’ll Want to Be There. This series is about energising and strengthening the swim school sector. Each session is designed to help you:

• Build confidence and capability in your role

• Gain fresh insights into best practice and emerging thinking

• Walk away with ideas you can actually use. . . straight away

How to Get Involved:Access is easy. Email me your interest and you’ll receive the unique link for each live webinar.

It Costs Nothing: Every session is free. Each presenter, like me, is giving their time to give back to the industry that has shaped us.

Who Should Attend: Anyone involved in swim schools, swim clubs, or swim programmes — from brand-new swim teachers to highly experienced professionals and leaders.

Save the dates. Spread the word: this is professional development made for swim schools. . . 1-2pm (NZ) on the last Wednesday of each month.

If you have any questions or want to join The Exchange webinar series, reach out using the contact button below.

Laura McNab

Linda Holmes

Wednesday March 25, 1-2pm NZ time

Why a Child Is Not Progressing: Understanding the Body Behind the Swim.

What a terrific way to start The Exchange 2026 series - thanks to Laura for her generous sharing and inspiring session. Her messages and delivery style has immediately made an impact in our sector.

“It has given me a deeper understanding of what is truly happening in class . The information Laura shared will defintely help me deliver more effective lessons.”

“It was one of those sessions that gets you thinking laterally and you start putting ideas to situations/child quite quickly: the brain starts thinking of different ways to assist a child more”

“I could have had another 4 hours of it - great knowledge and thought provoking”

Wednesday May 27th, 1-2pm NZ time

It’s Not Deafness, It’s Communication: Practical Inclusion for Swim Schools

Deafness isn’t the barrier: communication is. Inclusive practices benefit everyone and help create safer, more welcoming swim school environments. This session shares practical, easy-to-apply ways swim schools can better include deaf and hard of hearing learners and their caregivers into the lesson environment.

You’ll learn how small communication changes like visual cues, positioning, and simple NZSL, will significantly improve safety, understanding, connection, and learner success.

Whether your learner has hearing loss (or not), this session will help every person engaged in the world of swim schools.

DHHF is a trusted New Zealand charity with over 45 years of experience, focused on ensuring deaf and hard of hearing Kiwis can access the support, hearing healthcare, and services they need to live fulfilling lives. Linda (DHHF Community Partnerships Manager) will share with us understanding and practical ways to improve accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing people in our LTS environment which is usually noisy in itself, before we add-in swim caps, long hair, ear plugs, submerged faces, all adding extra layers onto the hearing challenges in the LTS space..

Wednesday June 24th, 1-2pm NZ time

Going all-in on one truth: your people are your brand

What happens when you stop chasing quick fixes and focus on what really matters?

In this practical, real-world session, the team from Rec Alley shares how they tripled their customer service scores in just 12 months—not through big-budget initiatives, but by committing to a simple, consistent process: survey → data → action → review.

At the heart of their success is one powerful idea: your people are your brand. When you invest in your team, everything else follows.

Expect honest insights, lessons learned, and practical takeaways you can apply in your own environment no matter your size or setting.

Gabbi Anderson – Club Manager, Rec Alley Gregory Hills
Gabbi’s journey with Rec Alley began in 2017 as one of its first coaches. Now Club Manager, she brings over a decade of experience as a competitive gymnast, having performed both nationally and internationally. Her deep understanding of athlete development, combined with her genuine passion for the sport, shapes her people-first leadership approach.

Ozren Vukelic – CEO, Rec Alley Gymnastics
Ozren is a dynamic, people-focused leader with experience across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. With qualifications in media, communications, marketing, and human resource management, he is known for aligning teams, navigating complexity, and delivering meaningful results. His leadership style centres on clear communication, strong culture, and empowering others to perform at their best.

Together, Gabbi and Ozren bring real-life lessons from gym club operations offering practical ideas and inspiration to help shape success in your own organisation.

Wednesday July 29th, 1-2pm NZ time

Teaching, or improving how you teach? Reflective Teaching Practices in Swim Lessons

Many swim teacher development focuses on what we teach.
This session flips the focus to how we teach . . . and why this matters even more. Join us for a practical, thought-provoking webinar that explores how reflection can elevate every lesson you deliver. Whether you’re new to teaching or highly experienced, this session will challenge you to step back, assess your current approach, and unlock new levels of effectiveness in the water.

Because here’s the reality: When teachers actively reflect, teaching improves, and so do learner outcomes.

• Discover simple, powerful reflective practices you can use straight away

• Learn how reflection strengthens teaching quality and consistency

• Walk away with practical tools and printable resources to support your growth

• Build habits that turn everyday lessons into continuous improvement opportunities

You won’t just leave with ideas, you’ll leave ready to apply them in your very next lesson.
Natalie Lanfear brings over 17 years of swim teaching experience across New Zealand (currently Todd Energy Aquatic Centre - New Plymouth) , combined with a strong academic background in sport, exercise, and education. Holding a Master’s in Education and currently undertaking a Doctor of Education, Natalie is deeply focused on advancing aquatic education, particularly in the area of drowning prevention within schools.

Her approach blends research with real-world application, giving you strategies that are both evidence-based and immediately usable.