IMPROVING EDUCATION IN ANIMAL-ASSISTED SERVICES
ERASMUS+ PROJECT #2023-1-PT01-KA122-ADU-000123601
Science is beginning to explain that connecting to animals and nature is fundamental for Health and Wellness.
The Animal-Assisted Services (AAS), includes the whole area of using companion animals to help people, including Animal-Assisted Therapies, Animal-Assisted Learning, Service Animals, Emotional support animals, Medical Detection Animals, etc.
In Portugal, the sector of AAS is an innovative activity, not structured or organized. We have an urgent need of improving the education, competencies, and quality of work, getting better knowledge about the latest Programs using companion animals for therapeutic or learning purposes, guaranteeing successful and safe achievement of the patients. Encouraging partnership and cooperation, we will improve the share and spread of insights and a greater interest from the public, about an innovative, ecological, and sustainable healing approach.
We need to better comprehend what we do in collaboration with animals, and their environment, that leads to a healing process. Is it the animal itself, or a combination of the animal and its environment? Is it its power to bond with another living being?
We believe that networking, connecting people and connecting knowledge is the best way to move forward in this great field of AAS.
This September, we already participated for 4 days, in an amazing activity of TRAINING in Sweden, at Stall Kungsgården in Stockholm.
A group of 4 members of TheKidsFellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology (TKF) Organization’s staff, has already benefited the share of the latest insights in Equine-Assisted Services (EAS) with an international group, within the Annual Meeting of European Equine Assisted Therapy Network (EEATN).
During Training, our staff has gain new perceptions about EAS, at Sweden, and also shared their knoledgw about the benefits of all kinds of Services Assisted with Equines, while riding, or on the ground, while interacting with the horses.
One member, as Equine Specialist, will prepare a Webinar this January about: How to Train and prepare the horse used in EAS; one is Mental Health professional and will prepare next February a Webinar about: How horses improve psychological states in Humans?; and one Physical Therapist one about: How do horses improve functionality in humans? ; also one applicant with High Motivation in Learning and developing Education in EAS from the organization has been selected and has come with the other participants.
Some of our members belong to the European Research Group in Equine Assisted Services (EAS) and are working hard to find scientific evidence that equines are beneficial for human physical, psychological and social health, improving awareness of our own body, internal or in the environment around it.
Until the end of the Project all staff participating in the Project IMPROVING EDUCATION IN AAS will prepare educational materials in cooperation woth hosting Institutions in Lithuania, Sweden, Spain and Germany, and share it within the Organization and with the community.
