SPLASH (Swimming Protects Lives and Sparks Hope) and the Virginia Discovery Museum (VDM) volunteer programs at Madison House both offer unique opportunities for UVA students to engage with children in the Charlottesville community.

SPLASH volunteers help teach children basic swimming skills and water safety, essentially “waterproofing” them in an effort to save lives. Madison House Co-Program Director Lily Liau explains, “We work in collaboration with the Ben Hair Just Swim for Life Foundation to provide swim lessons for … community members at low to no cost.” The program seeks especially to serve individuals who are differently abled, non-native English speakers, have a fear of water, or for whom swim lessons are cost prohibitive. Leigh Bailey serves as the other Co-Program Director.

Volunteers at the VDM ultimately hope to inspire the youngest members of the community to be lifelong learners. “The Virginia Discovery Museum is a small, nonprofit children’s museum for families with infants to kids aged 8. “VDM seeks to foster intellectual curiosity and development for all children in the Charlottesville community through hands-on educational, exploratory, and imaginative play,” says Madison House VDM Program Director Claire DeBusk. 

At SPLASH, a volunteer shift is relatively consistent. “Volunteers get in the water to coach and assist the Ben Hair leadership team,” says Lily. On the other hand, volunteering at the museum can take a myriad of forms—working at the front desk, answering emails, checking in guests, answering the phone, or working in the gallery and interacting with museum attendees. SPLASH shifts are typically one hour per week at either Crow Recreation Center or ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center, a 5- and 10-minute drive from Grounds, respectively. VDM shifts on the other hand are approximately 2.5 hours. Students typically use Charlottesville Area Transit buses to reach the VDM, located in the Downtown Mall. 

Why get involved as a volunteer? These programs offer ways to make profound impacts on young students’ lives, giving them the potentially life-saving skill of swimming or nurturing a thirst for knowledge.

The VDM program enables Lily to continue a lifelong passion. “I've always loved being a coach and it's amazing I can continue this passion while at school,” she says. “My favorite moment is when a kid finally grasps a new skill they struggled with or were scared of. Even if it's something seemingly little, such as jumping into the deep end or floating on their back, it is so crucial to build confidence. Seeing them proud of their hard work makes my day.” 

These opportunities can also serve to further academic pursuits. Claire is a Youth and Social Innovation major, and she loves working with the VDM because she rarely has the opportunity to interact with youth otherwise. 

“I spend a lot of time thinking about issues surrounding education and youth development,” says Claire. “It is fascinating to watch many of the social and developmental processes discussed in my classes play out in real life.”

By Cecilia Murphy

⇨ Reach out to Claire DeBusk for VDM information and Lily Liau for more information on SPLASH! These programs recruit throughout the semester. SPLASH particularly needs volunteers Monday through Thursday at 4:30pm.