Leadership Education with Adolescents and Dogs (LEAD)
OHS partners with community service agency to help youth
The OHS has held three LEAD sessions (formerly called YOUCAN) in partnership with the Roberts/Smart Centre, a children's mental health facility. In 2005-2007, the OHS ran three sessions with the Youth Justice Services’ department of the Youth Services Bureau, taking place at the William E. Hay Centre for young offenders. In total, 28 youth and 28 shelter dogs have participated in the program.
This dog-training initiative is designed to help at-risk youth gain personal responsibility and compassion toward animals and humans, and to increase the adoptability of harder-to-place shelter dogs. The program works with youth on issues related to responsible pet ownership, the human-animal bond, the role of the OHS in the community and the link between animal cruelty and human violence. In addition, animal-related career opportunities are explored.
How does this animal-assisted intervention work? The OHS matches four youth participants with four volunteer facilitators to provide basic obedience training and socialization to four shelter dogs under the direction of a dog trainer and OHS humane education coordinator. The program runs for three weeks and includes twelve 1.5 hour lessons, four times a week at the partner location. At the end of the program, the shelter dogs are placed for adoption.
The LEAD concept was based on an earlier OHS program that ran from 1999 to 2004 for at-risk children. The Viscount Adoption Project (V.A.P.) involved successful partnerships with Viscount Alexander Public School and Crossroads Children’s Centre (a children’s psychiatric facility). Anecdotal feedback from both partners observed positive changes in the children as a result of their involvement in the dog-training program.
After the final child-oriented session, OHS internal and external program evaluations indicated that a more difficult population such as at-risk youth would be a better match for challenging shelter dogs. This group was also seen as a better program fit because it was anticipated that the overall impact—and individual benefit to each youth participating in the program—would be greater.
A review of similar dog-training initiatives for at-risk youth in North America indicates the need for empirical, rather than anecdotal feedback to evaluate program efficacy. Going forward, a PhD psychology candidate at Carleton University will implement formal before and after behavioural assessments of LEAD youth participants. The OHS will be apprised of the results which will also be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Listen to a CBC radio story about a recent session!
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer facilator with LEAD?
