Therapy dog training - European standards is a project which meets the needs of the rapidly expanding dog assisted therapy market in Europe. The aim is to develop labor standards in dog assisted therapy with a system of training and certification, thus ensuring a high and easily verifiable level of dog assisted therapy professionals in European countries. Thanks to this, the professional group of therapists whose work is assisted by dogs will strengthen its position and image of professionals who are driven by high labor standards. The consortium creating projects and working on standards are institutions with numerous achievements in the field of dog assisted therapy, both in training therapists and conducting therapeutic activities involving dogs for diverse needs. The project will develop two leading results: 1 Methodological manual for training organizations and dog assisted therapy trainers, which will contain standards, norms and guidelines to conduct professional training in dog assisted therapy. 2 Open blended learning course, which will combine the advantages of free access and working at the participant’s own pace. This offers e-learning, as well as a thorough practical knowledge acquired through a stationary training. The course ends with a two-part exam, which allows the participant to obtain the European Certificate of dog assisted therapy. Both results will be disseminated and promoted, making them accessible for a broad group of interested buyers. Partners will make the effort to implement the developed norms in each of the partner countries, and then in other European countries as well. Such action will ensure the professionalization of dog assisted therapy services in Europe and make the profession of dog assisted therapy professional enjoyable and highly trusted by the customers.
Summary of Therapy Dog Training 1. Information about the project 2. Aims of the project 3. Number and profile of project partners 4. Description of conducted activities 5. Long term benefits Ad.1 The project was implemented in the period from 01.09.2014r to 31.08.2016r by 5 partners from four European countries (Poland, Germany, Norway, Austria). During the project there was developed methodical manual on the preparation of guide dogs to train and work with own dog in AAT. Manual was published in both traditional and electronic pdf format. The second most important result of the project was developed as a form of 2 blended learning module . The first module offers e-learning training package which consist of electronic teaching materials, mid-lesson tests with automatic evaluations, instructional videos, etc. and activities on-line in the form of webinars, the second part of the course is realized in traditional face-to-face method. E-learning will enable to access the course for people even from distant places in Europe and will reduce financial costs and time for learning. Within the project there was trained 30 people from participating countries. All results are available freely online in open access: training materials in Scorm format and the manual in PDF format Ad. 2 In European countries there was not yet developed a uniform system of AAT (Animal Assisted Training) and therefore the main objective of the project was to develop European Standards of AAT, with particular emphasis on standards of training a AAT therapists. Certificates were developed in collaboration with national experts of ECVET. Other objectives of the project was to promote the idea of AAI, increasing the availability of the AAT teaching materials by the use of innovative blended learning approach, increase the quality of services provided by AAT therapists and professionalization of AAT. Ad3 Partnership of Project stayed the same from the moment of application preparation till submission of Project. Project was conducted by 5 partners from 4 European Countries 1. Janusz Korczak Pedagogical University – Poland 2. Stowarzyszenie Zwierzęta Ludziom –Poland 3. AntrozoologiSenteret AS –Norway 4. Freiburger Institut für TgT – Germany 5. Abif – Austria The initiator of the project was Stowarzyszenie Zwierzęta Ludziom, an NGO that conducts therapeutic activities involving dogs and deals with the promotion of AAT, AntrozoologiSenteret AS - non-governmental organization specializing in the field of human-animal relationship. Freiburger Institut für TGT German is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the training of specialists in the field of AAT. Abif Austrian is a certifying organization dealing with monitoring, evaluation and quality management and in project cooperates as an independent expert which was responsible for monitoring evaluation and quality management. Janusz Korczak Pedagogical University is a leader with experience in international projects and education through e-learning and blended learning. Mixture of experience and geographical diversity caused that each partner has enriched project with their knowledge and experience. AD 4 Among the main activities of the project should there are: - Preparing and carrying out desk research in project countries[O1-A1]; - Preparation of common standards for all countries [A1-A2]; - Preparation of guidelines for training organizations [A1-A3]; - Consultations with external experts in the field of therapy dog training [A1-A4]; - Translation of methodology into languages of organizations participating in the project [A1-A5]; - Preparation of training curriculum taking into account the requirements of ECVET [O2-A1]; - Preparation of the training package, eLearning content [O2-A2]; - Preparation of training materials for individual training [O2-A3]; - Organization and carrying out the eight-day course in the field [C1, O2-A4]; - Organization of 2-day final conference in the project [E1-B1] Ad. 5 Developing a unified and clear certification system which had an impact on the professionalization of Therapy Dog Training and improvement of the quality of services provided by therapy dog therapists and their dogs. The project has become a prerequisite for further development of standards of therapy dog training and to disseminate the idea of therapy dog training. The added value of the project was to develop a certification system for ECVET for AAT professions.