Rainbow Club Celebrates National Volunteer Week
Caitlin Barnes
Caitlin Barnes has been part of Rainbow Club since she was just 11 years old. She started going along to watch lessons with her mum Carla who has been a teacher at Sutherland Rainbow club for over 10 years.
When Caitlin was old enough to do so, she became an official Inpool Volunteer at Sutherland Rainbow Club. She would spend time with members and their siblings while they waited and developed great relationships with the Rainbow Club families. She would also assist the teachers pack up at the end of the lessons or demonstrate some of the techniques.
Caitlin has been part of the Sutherland Relay Team for the last 5 years at the Murray Rose Malabar Magic.
Caitlin participated in the first Rainbow Club Train to Teach program in 2018 when she was just old enough to do so and has been at Sutherland officially as a teacher since May 2019.
“Becoming an official teacher of rainbow club was never a question for me, it was purely when. When the opportunity presented itself for the first train to teach program I was so excited, i wasn’t even 17 yet but I could still get my license. It was definitely an experience completing my hours with a mainstream swim school as all I had ever known was teaching students with a disability. I am extremely grateful to all the past teachers at Sutherland Rainbow Club for taking me under their wing and allowing me to develop into the teacher I am today as a result of their guidance.” – Caitlin Barnes
To hear more about Caitlin’s experience view her video