Have a chat
At your next session, tell a coach: “I’m here on this night. Could I help?” Or ask a friend and come for a chat together. You don’t need to have it all worked out.
← Back to volunteeringOne night a week.
Your community. Your club. Your chance to help.
One night a week.
A difference
that lasts.
Already spending a night at the pool watching your child or grandchild? Imagine spending that time poolside, helping athletes grow in confidence—with a team of friends beside you. Come on your own or bring a friend. We’ll help you learn, fund your agreed training and make you feel part of the team.
Find your first step ↓No swimming background needed · Club-funded training · A night that fits your life
Our community club needs people like you
Don’t leave it
to somebody else.
Our charity runs on people stepping forward. One night a week from you could help share the load and give our athletes more support.
You’re already cheering them on. Take the next step.
Talk to a coach at your next session.
Come on your own, or bring a friend and start together.
Start here, together
You don’t have to arrive as a coach.
You don’t need a swimming background, and you don’t need to give every evening. One regular night a week could be a great place to start. We’ll find a role that works around you—and help you grow into it.
Get ready for poolside
We’ll guide you through the checks, safeguarding and induction for your age and role, including a DBS check where required. Our Welfare Officer will help get everything ready before you start. A DBS or safeguarding certificate from elsewhere doesn’t automatically cover your Makos role—we’ll guide you through our checks and Swim England’s own safeguarding training.
Learn alongside us
Join an agreed session under an appropriately qualified coach’s supervision. Watch, ask questions and help with agreed tasks as your confidence grows. You won’t be asked to coach independently before you’re ready and authorised.
We invest in you.
You help our club grow.
You help our club grow.
Makos will pay for your agreed coaching training and support you as you learn. It’s a meaningful investment for our charity. In return, we ask you to become a regular part of the team and put those skills to use with our athletes over time.
An ordinary group of people. Something extraordinary together.
Every coach.
Every helper.
Here because they care.
Makos is a community club and a charity, run entirely by volunteers. Nobody is paid—not our coaches, not our committee, not anyone. No wages, no stipends. We give our time because we care about the athletes, the friendships and the opportunities this club creates.
As athletes grow up and move on to new adventures, family life moves on too. New parents, grandparents and young volunteers stepping forward keep that spirit going, learning from the people already here and bringing fresh energy of their own.
That’s how we build a strong, healthy club: each generation helping the next. A night of your time becomes part of something that lasts well beyond one season.
The new Swim England pathway · In plain English
Start by helping.
See where it takes you.
Start and develop as a Coaching Assistant, then build towards Session Coach—a great place to make a lasting contribution. If you discover a real passion for coaching, we’ll encourage you to explore Coach Practitioner too.
A great place to start & develop
Coaching Assistant
Be another encouraging face on poolside. Support the coach, help athletes follow activities and build your confidence alongside the team.
What this means for you
You don’t have to lead a whole session to make a difference. Helping with organisation, reinforcing instructions and encouraging athletes all support the coach and the group.
We can help you get started with supervised poolside helping and existing helper learning. The new Coaching Assistant course is still being developed; we’ll guide you to the training currently available.
Your next step · A great place to stay
Session Coach
Develop the confidence to plan and deliver sessions as part of our team. Session Coach is a rewarding role to grow into and stay in. Enjoy it so much you want more? Coach Practitioner could come next.
Explore this stage ↓Where our senior coaches are
Coach Practitioner
Guide athletes over the longer term and help other coaches grow. This is the experience you’ll have beside you.
Explore this stage
Go deeper into coaching through practical experience, shared reflection and a coaching project. We’ll explore this together if you want to develop further.
Our senior coaches are at this stage. They shape the programme, support our athletes and help you develop as part of the team.
A professional ambition
Senior Coach Practitioner
A further ambition for experienced coaches looking towards senior leadership or a career in coaching. We don’t expect our volunteers to take this step.
Explore this stage
Think of this as the senior leadership end of the journey: developing other coaches and helping shape a whole programme. If coaching becomes a career ambition, we’d love to see where it takes you.
You can make an enormous contribution to Makos without ever aiming for this stage. The new programme is still in development.
Helping is valuable. Progression is encouraged. You don’t have to commit to the whole journey to start.
Your experience. Someone else’s inspiration.
Build their confidence.
And your future.
You don’t have to be a parent to be part of this. As a young athlete, you know what encouragement feels like. Helping the next group is a chance to become that person for someone else.
Explore young volunteering
Start a conversation about helping at the club. The regional Young Volunteer Award is designed for ages 14–17; we’ll help you explore a suitable opportunity with guidance from our team.
Start assistant-coach training
Assistant Swimming Coach training is open from 16. Build your skills, learn alongside experienced coaches and start putting your knowledge to work with other athletes.
Experience you can talk about
More than a line on your CV.
Learn to explain an idea, encourage someone who is struggling and take responsibility as part of a team. These are real experiences to draw on in a CV, university application, apprenticeship application or interview.
Bring a friend, learn together and build something you can both be proud of.
Tell us your age, what you enjoy and where you’d like to go next.
We’ll help you find your first step.
Stage 02 · Grow your confidence. Grow your contribution.
More coaches.
More shared sessions.
More for our athletes.
You could be the person who helps a nervous athlete find their confidence, makes a new skill click or encourages them through a challenging set. Those moments matter—and you can learn how to create them.
Our senior coaches bring the experience and wider planning. As a Session Coach, you help turn that programme into great sessions. More of us sharing the delivery means more support for our athletes and a more sustainable team.
What you’ll learn to do
- Understand the athletes in front of you.
- Plan useful, engaging sessions.
- Explain skills and adapt your approach.
- Reflect, learn and improve.
How we’ll support you
We’ll agree suitable coaching opportunities with the Head Coach so you can practise during the course, ask questions and get feedback.
You’ll build your experience within the Makos programme, with responsibilities agreed around your readiness and the athletes’ needs.
A more approachable way to learn
A clearer way in. A team beside you.
Learn at the club
Put ideas into practice in a familiar place, with our athletes and coaches. Watch, try things, ask questions and build confidence as you go.
Online & guided learning
The Session Coach route brings together online learning, practice in your club and guided face-to-face learning days. We’ll talk you through the schedule and help you fit it around life.
Support at every step
You’re joining a team, not working it all out alone. Start by assisting, grow towards Session Coach when you’re ready, and keep learning with us.
You might be wondering
It’s OK to start with questions.
I’ve never swum competitively. Can I really help?
Yes. We’re looking for parents, grandparents and others who care, are willing to learn and want to give something back. Swimming knowledge and coaching skills can be learned through training and supported practice.
Can I try helping before committing to a course?
Start with a conversation. Once the club has agreed your role and completed the required checks and induction, we can arrange supervised poolside helping so you can understand what it involves.
I already have a DBS or safeguarding certificate. What do I need?
You still need to complete our club’s checks before starting poolside. A DBS from work or another organisation does not automatically give clearance at Makos. Our Welfare Officer will arrange the Swim England process and confirm whether an existing certificate registered with the Update Service can be used.
For safeguarding, you’ll need Swim England’s own training for aquatics. Training from another workplace or sport does not automatically replace it. We’ll help you get everything in place.
How often will I renew my safeguarding training?
Swim England safeguarding training is renewed every three years. After the initial course, you can complete an online refresher at the three-year point, then return to the full course three years later. We’ll help you keep track and arrange the right renewal.
Can I get involved while I’m still at school or college?
Yes—come and talk to us. Young volunteering can help you build confidence and experience, and Assistant Swimming Coach training is available from 16. We’ll agree an opportunity that suits your age, studies and training, with the support you need.
Can a friend and I do this together?
Absolutely. Tell us you’d like to start together and we’ll help you find places on the same course and arrange opportunities to help at the same sessions. You can encourage each other as you learn—and you’ll have the rest of the team around you too.
Are any of the coaches or volunteers paid?
No. Everyone at Makos volunteers their time. Nobody receives wages or a stipend. The club funds agreed training to help volunteers develop; that’s our investment in the people who make the club possible.
What if I only want to be a Coaching Assistant?
That’s absolutely fine. A reliable, encouraging assistant helps sessions run well and gives athletes more support. You’re a valued member of the coaching team, whether you stay in that role or decide to progress.
How much time do I need to give?
One regular night a week could make a real difference. We’re not asking you to coach every night—perhaps the night you’re already here with your child would work. We’re looking for people who can become a regular part of the team over time, rather than help for just a few weeks. We’ll talk through what feels realistic for you before you enrol, with an understanding that life can change.
Will I be left to run a session on my own?
You start alongside an appropriately qualified coach. As you develop, the Head Coach will agree what you can take on. Becoming a Session Coach does not mean being left without the support of the club.
Does everyone have to work through all four stages?
No. Coaching Assistant gives you a supportive place to start and develop. Session Coach is the next step and a great place to stay. If you love coaching and want to go further, Coach Practitioner is there to explore. Every contribution along the way matters.
Who organises the training and costs?
Makos will pay for your agreed coaching training and help organise it. Because that is a meaningful investment for our charity, we ask you to join with the intention of helping regularly after your training, building experience and contributing over the coming seasons. We’ll talk together about what is realistic before booking, and we understand that circumstances can change.
Is this guide also for water polo?
This guide focuses on swimming coaching. If you’re interested in water polo, talk to us and we’ll help identify the appropriate discipline-specific route.
Your club. Your friends. Our next chapter.
Be part of
what comes next.
The next generation of Makos will need people cheering them on, encouraging them and helping them believe in themselves. You could be one of those people.
Ask a friend. Pick a night. Have a chat.
Let’s start at your next session.