Float Initiative
Donate

Our story

Why Float exists

Float Initiative started with a near miss.

A friend from my neighborhood, someone I grew up with who is neurodivergent, slipped toward the deep end at a pool one afternoon and went under before anyone noticed. He was pulled out in time. He was okay. But those few seconds, the gap between him going under and an adult realizing it, have stayed with me ever since.

I had been a competitive swimmer for nine years. The water was the safest place in the world to me and one of the most dangerous places in the world to him, and the only real difference between us was that someone had taught me what to do in it.

The only difference between us was that someone had taught me what to do in the water.

When I learned how much higher the risk of drowning is for neurodivergent kids, it stopped feeling like bad luck and started feeling like something I could actually change. So in 2022 I began teaching the children who needed it most, one at a time, at a pace that worked for them. That is still the entire idea. Float exists so that no family has to count on getting lucky.

Sebastian Chen
Founder, Float Initiative

Portrait of the founder, poolside
Sebastian Chen sitting at the edge of a pool

Adaptive swim instruction · San Gabriel Valley, CA

We meet every child at the water's edge.

Every child should be able to fall in the water and know how to come back up. Float Initiative is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding water literacy to the most vulnerable subgroup of children, neurodivergent children.

A Float coach supporting a swimmer during a freestyle lesson
Wide photo: a coach and child together in the water

Our mission

Every child should be able to fall in the water and know how to come back up.

Float Initiative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding water literacy to the most vulnerable subgroup of children, neurodivergent children. One coach, one child, as much time as it takes.

150+
children taught
400+
lessons taught
2022
the year we started
1:1
every single lesson

Why this matters

160x

Children with autism are about 160 times more likely to drown.

Drowning is a leading cause of death among children with autism. The researchers who measured that risk named swim instruction the top-priority intervention. That is exactly what we set out to provide.

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, 2017.

How it works

A 12-week path to water survival

Our curriculum draws on evidence-based methods from adaptive aquatics and special education. Lessons are one-on-one, and progress is measured by what a child can do safely in the water, not by the calendar.

01

Positive reinforcement

02

Task analysis

03

Sensory-aware pacing

04

Mastery before progress

00

Initial assessment

First lesson

Every swimmer starts with a relaxed first lesson. We learn how your child takes in the water, what they are comfortable with, and what excites them, then build their plan from there.

Face in the water, first floats
A young swimmer practicing a supported float while a coach swims alongside
01

Water comfort and trust

Weeks 1 to 3

Getting in, putting the face in the water, and floating on the front and back with steady breathing.

02

Learning to move

Weeks 4 to 7

Kicking, gliding, and the first freestyle arms, one skill at a time.

03

Putting it together

Weeks 8 to 10

Kick, pull, and breath become one continuous freestyle stroke.

One unaided lap
Coach and swimmers together in the lap pool after practice
04

Independence and safety

Weeks 11 to 12

One full unaided lap of freestyle, plus treading water and fall-in recovery. The benchmark for water survivability.

Timelines are a guide, not a deadline. Many swimmers repeat weeks, and that is exactly how the program is meant to work.

Who we serve

Built for the kids other lessons couldn't keep.

Most swim classes are built for kids who can line up and tune out the noise. The kids who can't are exactly the ones we want. Autism, ADHD, sensory differences: you are in the right place.

  • It is one coach and your kid, every lesson. No group to keep up with.
  • Some days the win is one toe in the water. That counts, and we will tell you it counts.
  • Our coaches really can swim. They are also happy to sit on the pool edge as long as it takes.
A Float coach working one-on-one with a young swimmer
A child and coach mid-lesson

Our coaches

Sebastian Chen · Patrick Chen · Mia Tan · Daniel Cho · Sofia Ramirez · Ethan Wong

From families

Why families keep coming back.

“

Sebastian is really passionate about teaching, and the way he coaches is easy to understand. He pinpointed each of our kids' problems precisely, and they picked up new skills very quickly.

Mr. Mo · Float Initiative parent
“

Thank you for coaching my children. Thomas's body position and overall freestyle have improved so much, and all of Sebastian's suggestions are right on point.

Madeline · Float Initiative parent
“

Dylan came home so excited that he was still overjoyed into the evening. I asked him why he was so happy, and he said it's because Sebastian makes him swim better. I'm surprised Sebastian can make such a difference!

A Float Initiative parent

Contact

{{ contactEmail }}
(626) 698-9723

Who do you work with?

Neurodivergent kids of all kinds: autism, ADHD, sensory differences, and everything in between. If you are not sure whether we are the right fit, reach out anyway. We would genuinely love to hear about your child.

What does it cost?

Nothing, ever. Lessons are completely free. Donations cover everything we do, so cost is never the reason a family cannot start.

Where are lessons held?

At a pool right here in Arcadia, in the San Gabriel Valley. Once we have talked, we will tell you exactly where to meet us and what to bring along.

How do we begin?

Just say hi. Email us a little about your child, and we will set up a relaxed first chat to get to know each other and find a time that works for you.