Certification Courses

Enrichment Courses offered at the YMCA refer to all instructional programs offered for a fee. These programs are open to both members and non-members (unless otherwise stated), and are designed to enhance your lifestyle, acquire new skills and enrich your body, mind, and spirit.

Advanced Aquatics

The YMCA is dedicated to offering high quality enrichment courses to help individuals develop in spirit, mind and body. The exam date (where applicable) is the last day of the course. Prerequisites are to be presented on the first day of the course. All prerequisites listed as current must be current within 2 years of last day of the course. Participants must be of age by the last day of the course. Non-members are welcome unless otherwise stated.

Cancellations can be made by fax, email or in person a minimum of 4 business days before the start of the course to receive a full refund.  Cancellations made less than 4 business day before the start of the course will be refunded less an administration fee of 35% of the full course fee. Cancellations will not be refunded after the course begins unless a medical note is provided.  All enrichment course refunds will be mailed within 14 business days of submission. 

The YMCA of Niagara offers a comprehensive selection of Advanced Aquatics programs including Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, Instructors and NLS. We also offer Standard First Aid courses and recertification.

Please note: Classes are not offered on Holidays.

YMCA Master Swimmer (Members only)

Prerequisite: 10 years of age and completion of Star 6 or equivalent
Course Fee: $0

Notes: 6 hours of volunteer assisting an instructor is required outside scheduled class time.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 7:30pm April 10 – June 18
Sundays, 3:30 - 5:00pm April 15 – June 23

Niagara Centre Branch
Mondays, 5:30 - 7:00pm April 9 – June 17

Niagara Falls Branch
Tuesdays, 4:30 - 6:00pm April 10 – June 18

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Tuesdays, 5:30 - 7:00pm April 10 – June 18

Niagara West Branch
Tuesdays, 6:00 – 7:30pm April 10 – June 18
Saturdays, 4:00 – 5:30pm April 14 – June 22

Lifesaving Fitness Bronze, Silver, Gold (Members only)

Prerequisite: 10 years of age and completion of Star 6 or equivalent
Course Fee: $0

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Thursdays, 7:00 - 8:00pm April 12 – June 20

Niagara Centre Branch
Wednesdays, 5:30 - 6:30pm April 11 – June 19

Niagara Falls Branch
Fridays, 4:30 - 5:30pm April 13 – June 21

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Wednesdays, 5:30 – 7:00pm April 11 – June 19

Niagara West Branch
Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:00pm April 11 – June 19

Bronze Star & Basic First Aid/CPR(A)

Prerequisite: recommended completion of Star 6 or equivalent
Course Fee: $65 + HST

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Saturdays, 4:00 - 5:30pm April 14 – June 22

Niagara Centre Branch
Tuesdays, 6:00 - 7:30pm April 10 – June 18

Niagara Falls Branch
Not offered in Spring

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Not offered in Spring

Niagara West Branch
Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:30 April 12 – June 20

Bronze Medallion & Emergency First Aid/CPR(B)

Prerequisite: 13 years of age (birth certificate required) or Bronze Star certification
Course Fee: $140 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance strongly recommended

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Saturdays, 2:30 - 5:30 April 14 – June 22

Niagara Centre Branch
Sundays, 3:00 - 6:00pm April 15 – June 23

Niagara Falls Branch
Thursdays, 5:30 - 8:30pm April 12 – June 20

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Saturdays, 11:00am – 2:00pm April 14 – June 22

Niagara West Branch
Sundays, 2:30 – 5:30pm April 15 – June 23

Bronze Cross

Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion and Emergency First Aid/CPR(B) Certificate
Course Fee: $85 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance strongly recommended

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Sundays, 3:30 - 5:30pm April 15 – June 23

Niagara Centre Branch
Sundays, 4:00 - 6:00pm April 15 – June 23

Niagara Falls Branch
Saturdays, 4:30 - 6:30pm April 14 – June 22

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Saturdays, 11:00am - 1:00pm April 14 – June 22

Niagara West Branch
Saturdays, 4:00 – 6:00pm April 14 – June 22

YMCA Assistant Swim Instructors

Prerequisite: 14 years and Bronze Cross. Recommended completion of YMCA Master Swimmer.
Course Fee: $40 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance and participation required. 12 hours of volunteer assistant teaching required outside of class time.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Wednesdays, 6:30 – 9:30pm April 11 – June 19

Niagara Centre Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Niagara Falls Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Niagara West Branch
Not offered in Spring.

YMCA Swim Instructors & LSS Lifesaving Instructors

Prerequisite: 16+ years and Bronze Cross
Course Fee: $ 130 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance and participation required.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Thursdays, 6:00 – 10:00pm April 12 – June 20.

Niagara Centre Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Niagara Falls Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Not offered in Spring.

Niagara West Branch
Mondays, 6:00 – 10:00pm April 9 – June 24

National Lifeguard Service - NLS

Prerequisite: 16 years of age (birth certificate required), Bronze Cross and current Standard First Aid/CPR(C) – Standard First Aid must be from organizations recognized in Ontario public pool regulations. (Lifesaving Society, Canadian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance)
Course Fee: $255 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance and participation required

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Not offered in Spring

Niagara Centre Branch
Sundays, 12:00 – 9:00pm April 29 – June 3

Niagara Falls Branch
Sundays, 12:00 – 9:00pm April 15 – May 13

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Fridays, 6:00 – 10:00pm, Saturdays & Sundays 12:00 – 9:00pm
April 13, 14, 15 & April 27, 28 & 29

Niagara West Branch
Not offered in Spring

NLS Recert

Course Fee: $70 + HST
Notes: Must bring proof of certification to recert.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Sunday, 3:30 - 9:30pm May 27

Niagara Centre Branch
Sunday, 1:00 – 8:00pm April 22

Niagara Falls Branch
Sunday, 3:00 - 9:00pm April 15 or June 3

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Not offered in Spring

Niagara West Branch
Not offered in Spring

First Aid

Standard First Aid + CPR(C)

Course Fee: $87 + HST
Notes: 100% attendance and participation required. Certification issued through Lifesaving Society.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Saturday/Sunday, 9:30am - 6:00pm April 21/22 or May 12/13 or June 2/3 or June 16/17

Niagara Centre Branch
Saturday/Sunday, 9:30am - 6:00pm June 9/10

Niagara Falls Branch
Saturday/Sunday, 9:30am - 6:00pm May 12/13 or June 9/10

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Saturday/Sunday, 9:30am - 6:00pm June 23/24

Niagara West Branch
Saturday/Sunday, 9:30am – 6:00pm March 31 & April 1 or June 9/10

Standard First Aid + CPR(C) Recert

Course Fee: $55 + HST
Notes: Must bring proof of certification to recert. You must hold certification from the Lifesaving Society (blue card) dated no more than 3 years from date of issue to attend this recertification. You may only recertify once, then subsequently you must repeat the full course. Thereafter, you many renew by alternating recertification and full course.

St. Catharines Walker Family Branch
Sunday, 9:30am - 6:00pm May 6 or June 10

Niagara Centre Branch
Saturday, 9:30am - 6:00pm June 2

Niagara Falls Branch
Saturday, 9:30am - 6:00pm June 23

Fort Erie E.J. Freeland Branch
Saturday, 9:30am - 6:00pm May 12

Niagara West Branch
Sunday, 9:30am – 6:00pm June 3

Babysitting Course 

Prerequisite: Minimum age 11 years
Course Fee: $45

Niagara Falls Branch
Saturday, 9:00am – 3:00pm
April 7 or May 5

Fort Erie Branch
Saturday, 9:00am – 4:00pm 
TBA

Adult Health & Fitness Enrichment

Personal Training

Personal Training is one-on-one sessions with a qualified, caring fitness trainer who customizes a training program and provides constant motivation, education and guidance.

Members only

Fees: Three sessions - $120 + HST
Ten sessions - $375 + HST

To register, visit the Membership Desk. 

YMCA Fitness Leadership Training Program

Become a group fitness instructor or individual conditioning instructor.  This course is offered for YMCA members only and includes Basic Theory, CPR[A] and one instructor specialization – either Individual Conditioning or Group Fitness [with one stream].

Prerequisites: 16+years and current YMCA member. 
Course Fee: $110 + HST

Notes: 100% attendance and participation required.  Apprenticeship and practicum hours completed outside of course time.  Course end date for group fitness instructor specialization is dependent on chosen stream. 

Offered this spring in Niagara Centre YMCA in Welland.
Wednesday, 6:00 - 10:00pm March 28 - May 9

YMCA Individual Conditioning Instructor

For those who are a YMCA Group Fitness Instructor and want to become an Individual Conditioning Instructor.

Prerequisite: completion of YMCA Fitness Leadership Training Program
Course Fee: $40 + HST

Notes: 100% attendance and participation required. Apprenticeship and practicum hours completed outside of course time.

Tuesday, 6:00 - 10:00pm March 27 - April 17 (St. Catharines)
Wednesday, 6:00 - 10:00pm May 16 - June 6 (Welland)

YMCA Group Fitness Instructor

For those who are a YMCA Individual Conditioning Instructor and want to become a Group Fitness instructor.

Prerequisite: completion of YMCA Fitness Leadership Training Program
Course Fee: $40 + HST

Notes: 100% attendance and participation required. Apprenticeship and practicum hours completed outside of course time. Course end date is dependent on chosen stream.

Saturday, 9:00am - 6:00pm May 12 (Welland)

YMCA Group Fitness Streams

Each stream focuses on the skills needed to instruct the specific type of class. Choose from: aquatic fitness, group chorography, group cycle, group resistance, group core stretch and strength

Prerequisite: current certification as a YMCA Group Fitness Instructor
Course Fee: $20 + HST per stream

Notes: 100% attendance and participation required. Apprenticeship and practicum hours completed outside of course time. Course end date is dependent on chosen stream.

Aquatic Fitness: Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm April 1 (SC) / Saturday, 9:00am - 6:00pm June9 (Wel)

Group Choreography: Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm March 25(SC) / May 27 (Wel)

Group Cycle: Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm March 25 (SC) / Saturday, 9:00am - 6:00pm May 26 (Wel)

Group Resistance: Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm April 1 (SC) / Saturday, 9:00am - 6:00pm June 2 (Wel)

Group Core Stretch & Strength: Sunday, 9:00am - 6:00pm April 1 (SC) / June 10 (Wel)

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