Nayland Pool safe summer space for youth

Being a lifeguard at Nayland Pool isn’t just about keeping people safe in the water, it’s also about providing a welcoming environment for young people.

“We’ve had a fantastic season financially,” lifeguard Scott White says.

“The weather helps, but when you see family after family after family coming in, you know that there’s a general feeling of happiness here and they feel comfortable coming here.”

Scott ties the season’s success to his team’s willingness and enthusiasm creating a positive atmosphere over the summer, of which bonding with Stoke’s young people was a cornerstone.

“It’s mutual respect now. They’ve known me for nearly half their lives, some of the kids. They give me a side-hug or a front hug depending on how well they know me, they call me grandad.”

It’s no wonder the kids enjoy their time there so much. Nayland Pool has hosted manu nights (a manu is a waterbomb where you enter the water in a V-shape, tailbone-first, to make a huge splash), barbeques, fish and chip dinners, and put on music.

“I’ve treated this [pool] like a resort. When you come through those steps it needs to look like one and act like one,” Scott says.

That attitude carries through to all kids, including those who are more disadvantaged. Scott ensures that children who can’t afford to go on the inflatable obstacle courses get to give it a go at the end of the day before it’s packed away.

Earlier in the summer season, Nayland Pool made headlines because of allegations that a young person at the pool threatened other pool goers with a knife.

Nelson City Council has said the knife involved was a butter knife, and that the child was trespassed for a day.

Scott described the incident as a “storm in a teacup”.

“I just wonder what the motivation was, it just seemed like there was more going on behind the scenes than what happened on the day,” he says.

“I would hope it’s a one-off, there’s no reason for there to be anything other than happiness here.”

Last summer season saw two reported incidents, one of which involved police. There have been no reported incidents this season, though occasionally pool-goers have been temporarily banned.

Whanake Youth manager Lee-ann O’Brien says that Nayland Pool staff are doing a “really good job”.

The organisation has run workshops with the staff about how to engage with youth and supports them in evening events.

“Young people are craving caring adults in their life, whether it’s their parents or other whānau members, or members of the community. I think being connected and knowing they’ve got caring adults around them is pretty awesome.”

She added that with the lifeguards taking such an active role in the lives of young people means there’s a larger cross section of adults who know and care for the area’s youth.

“The more opportunities we have in Stoke to connect the better, so it’s really nice to see agencies work together and partner up.”

Parent Siobhan Bolt visited the pool several times over the summer with her 10-year-old son Lachie.

“He loves it,” she says.

“The staff here are incredible, they go so above and beyond… I’ll always find it interesting that at places that are aimed at kids, the staff can often be quite grumpy and very quick to tell the kids off, but they’re not like that there, which is really nice to see.”

Nayland Pool will close for the season on 23 March.