ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
Bringing the Therapeutic Foundation “Pies dla Stasia” into being was a deliberate and well thought-out deed of ours. Should the foundation was not established, any other more or less formalized team would probably be created anyhow, so gathering us – some number of guys who had once met in the CZE-NE-KA Humans and Animals Friendship Foundation, was a fortunate idea.
We have been getting to know each other through over a year. It turned out that – apart from an unusual affinity to each other – we had the same approach to the dog-human therapy, manifested in tendency to do the best possible work for the good of the others, and fulfilling the international standards in our activities. The “Home for Little Stan”, a kindergarten for children of the so-called pathological families: alcoholic, inefficient, broken, poor, where physical and psychological violence dominate, became the first place we could offer our assistance to. Those charming “little Stans” managed to reflect the real value of our work. Here our first educational / therapeutic project, created for the particular group of kids, matched with their concrete dysfunctions, was implemented (and is still being realized). It is one of sparse projects in Poland meant for emotionally disturbed children.
We had no references on the subject; we were creating our working scenarios based on our kids’ current requirements. As a result of our work, the “Home for Little Stan” became a dog-assisted therapy profiled kindergarten.
We set the following goals of the Foundation:
• propagating and practicing the animal-human therapy, especially dog-assisted therapy (DAT),
• development of knowledge, methods, and techniques of animal participation in therapy of the disabled and the needy, as well as promotion of general knowledge about the relations of humans and animals,
• initiation and support for all forms of development of activities for the disabled, as well as of the socially unadjusted children and teenagers, in order to raise their life quality.
We intend to implement those goals through:
• arranging and carrying out: the assisting and social therapy workshops with specially trained animals participating; organizing educational, recreational, sports, and cultural events,
• training animals for the purposes of assisting therapy, training the assisting dogs for the disabled,
• cooperating with other non-governmental organizations, as well as with self-governmental and governmental authorities, and foreign organizations of the same or similar character,
• carrying out editorial activities,
• carrying out informational and educational campaigns on broadly understood relations between humans and animals,
The most essential thing for all of us is what we can offer to the others in order to improve their lives. If you want to join us - you are warmly welcome.
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WHAT IS THE DOG ASSISTED SOCIAL THERAPY
Each of you probably knows what the dog assisted therapy means, if not – it is enough to look into one of the hundreds of web sites and other public media information on the subject. Specially trained dogs assist in therapeutic sessions of children and adults suffering from different kinds of physical, mental, and neurological disorders. The results are always positive provided the therapy is carried out professionally and consists of an element of overall therapeutic program of a patient, and dogs are properly selected and trained.
Yet hardly everybody knows that dogs may also be used in social rehabilitation (re-socialization) of mostly children and youngsters, demonstrating problems with contacts with other people and the outer world. Selected experiments in this field have been conducted for a large scale in the United States among prison inmates and in youth custody centers.
Our Foundation has been pursuing the dog assisted social therapy pioneering activity since 3 years. The kindergarten and common rooms (“homes”) for children from the so-called dysfunctional families, run by the “St.John of Jerusalem” Foundation in Warsaw, became our principal place of experiments and activities.
Our residents are to a high degree exposed to the toxic impact of their pathological families which results in social misfits: inability to establish proper relations with other children and grownups, aggression or apathy, mistrust of the outer world. The essential process of group behavior is hampered. Improper reactions on the verge of mental disorder often occur. The entire emotional and cognitive spheres function improperly, thus making it impossible to transmit the basic knowledge about the surrounding world, which seems alien and obscure to such kids. They come from disintegrated, alcoholic, incomplete, multi-children, poor families called “dysfunctional”. How to successfully cope with a more-than-a-dozen group of such kids? How to make them concentrated on solving their problems without shouts and aggression, how to teach them proper orientation in space and time, to read and count?
Here comes a dog, joyful, non-aggressive, patient, funny, enjoying the company and interest of kids, helpful to the teachers. He is thoroughly trained, quickly reacts to the orders, can demonstrate various tricks, thus giving the children feeling of control over his behavior and of mutual respect at the same time. Children may take care of him, “work” with him as his little trainers, give him orders that he fulfills, teach him new tricks. They may reward him for his good work and play with him. This kind of relations with a dog provides the kids with possibility of making choice and taking decisions all by themselves. A specific atmosphere is established in this way in which it is much easier to pass on to the children various behavioral patterns and essential pro-social values. In the presence of such a dog they can talk about him/herself, about friends and parents, may feel as someone important and special. The presence of a dog is to a high degree motivating for the kids: they more eagerly accept challenges, more willingly and actively take part in the sessions.
The Foundation works out special schemes of such educational therapeutic sessions, both individual and group, in which dogs play a crucial role. Stories and tales, songs and plays with their participation are created. The effects of the therapy are thoroughly recorded, and the methods adjusted to the needs and abilities of the kids.
The real role of a therapy dog cannot be overestimated. That is why all new experiments and undertakings in this fields should be noticed, supported, and popularized. The socio-therapeutic programs made up in the “Dog for Little Stan” Foundation, as well as our trainings of therapists and of assisting dogs, carried out there, ought to be appreciated as a pioneering and indispensable work.
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OUR ACTIVITIES
Educational and therapeutic activities among children and teenagers, with the assistance of well trained dogs, is a basic idea and goal of the Foundation. Our cadres are composed of pedagogues, speech therapists, special pedagogues, and dog trainers. The Foundation also engages many volunteers who represent interesting and adequate professions able to refine our common efforts. We work in teams: a therapist, a dog handler, and a dog. We intend to work in the possibly best way for the sake of the others and to match for the international standards of dog assisted therapy.
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The “Home for Little Stan” – run by the “St’ John of Jerusalem" Foundation
in Warsaw - became the first place we offered our assistance to (that was actually where our name “Dog for little Stan” came from). It is a kindergarten for children coming from the so-called dysfunctional (pathologic) families: alcoholic, poor, educationally inefficient, with many children. Those little Stans made us feel the real value of our work. Here we managed to implement, and are still implementing, our first educational – therapeutic program. It is one of the few dog-assisted program meant for children with emotional and social disorders. As a result, the Home for Little Stan became the very first kindergarten with the dog assisted educational program in Poland.
At present we are also working in three other “homes” of daily care run by the St. John of Jerusalem Foundation, for school and college age kids: “Peter’s Home”, “Paul’s Home”, and “Mathew’s Home”.
“Peter’s Home” is a shelter-home requiring a special individual care. The dog assisted sessions here are aimed at fitting the kids with basic social skills. In the “Paul’s Home” we run the program “Dog – my Friend” for youngsters from pathologic families. They also take part in the program called “Little Trainer”; children teach the dogs the basic commands and obedience under the supervision of our trainers thus facilitating the chances for adoption of the dogs.
Responding to the invitations by numerous organizations and educational institutions, our Foundation willingly takes part in out-door events propagating various therapeutic methods and healthy way of life.
OUR COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
The trainings are a series of lectures and workshops arranged in purpose of completing the skills and knowledge regarding the preparation and implementation of therapeutic and educational activities with dogs assistance, among kindergarten and school children. The trainings are directed first of all to persons working with children and youngsters: teachers, therapists, educators, social workers, pedagogues, psychologists, to all those who want to apply the dog assisted therapy (DAT) in their work.
Each training of the series refers to a different detailed subject and prepares for the implementation of a particular program. It provides with concrete knowledge and ways of preparation and conducting the selected workshops.
The subject trainings are also directed to those who had completed the basic or perfecting courses at our Foundation or other DAT organizations.
They are usually arranged during weekends and lead by Monika Trofimov, Agnieszka Radko, Agnieszka Faber, and Agnieszka Kaniewska, our dog trainer.
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Exemplary trainings:
• Basic training: “The Dog-Assisted Therapy basics”
• Perfecting courses:
• “Therapy dog handler”,
• “Dog-assisted therapist”.
• Subject trainings:
• “Biting prevention”,
• “Dog assisted education and social therapy at kindergartens and schools”,
• “Prevention of aggression and basic pro-social skills training in kindergarten and school, with dog assistance”,
• “Educational skills workshops and group work during sessions”,
• “Child and dog – the first day in kindergarten”,
• Exclusive dog training for the Foundation volunteers,
• “Preparing a dog for the DAT”.
Some international organizations we foolow up in our standards of work:
Through the last 75 years non-profit organizations in Europe have been active training special dogs and many encouraged volunteers in different fields to their work. Majority of those organizations have been dependent on incidental donations and volunteers enabling them to act and develop.
• Assistance Dogs International is an organization associating and protecting European organizations in different countries. It was registered as a non-profit international organization in Belgium.
Other international organizations:
• DELTA Society – an international non-profit organization involved in improvement of human health though trained dogs assistance (www.deltasociety.org)
• International Organization of Assistance Dogs Partners – a non-profit organization taking care of people with different disabilities assisted by guide dogs, hearing dogs, seeing dogs, and other assistants.
• International Association of Human-Animal Interactions in USA – founded in 1980, grouping national and foreign organizations, foundations, and associations interested in propagating and development of all kinds of bonds between humans and animals. (www.iahaio.org)
• International Federation of Guide Dog Schools for the Blind – associating 60 organizations involved in guide and assisting dogs training for the blind. (www.ifgdsb.org.uk)
we recommend articles and stories published on the following sites:
www.dogplay.org and many other
AUTHORITIES OF THE “DOG FOR LITTLE STAN” FOUNDATION
The Executive Board of the Foundation:
• Marek Zieliński – chairman, (tel. 48-22-6381215, 698837602)
• Monika Trofimov – deputy chairman (tel. 698837339)
• Agnieszka Radko – member of the Board (tel. 698888517)
The Supervisory Board of the Foundation:
• Agnieszka Faber – chairman (tel. 698837804)
• Agnieszka Kaniewska – member of the Board
• Andrzej Rama – member of the Board
ADDRESS AND BANK ACC.
Fundacja Terapeutyczna “Pies dla Stasia”
Ul. Sosnowiecka 5, 01-496 Warszawa, Poland
Bank account: 27 1160 2202 0000 0000 7371 1200
Register no.: 0000 251 366
WORTH READING
- What is AAT? What is AFT? (read)
- Is Your Dog Both Calm and Friendly? (read)
- ADI Standards and ethics regarding AAA/AAT/AAE (read)
- ADI Standards and ethics regarding handlers and clients (read)
- ADI Minimum standards for training service dogs that respond/alert to seizures or
other medical conditions (read)
- Behavioral approach in dogs training, By Pawel Życiński (Foundation ALTERI) (read)
- A kiss is just a kiss … unless it’s a liking (read)
- Hearing dogs for deaf people (read)
