1. Develop Skills – Learning how to look after each type of animal, what they eat, how to handle them, nail clipping, grooming – they all have different needs. Learning these new work skills helps people improve their self confidence.
2. Mutual Benefit – Looking after the animals gives people the feeling they are needed and are useful, they develop a sense of purpose. They learn to be more caring and nurturing to other living things. The animals in return are very well looked after and happy.
3. Increases their coping abilities – by putting people in unfamiliar and unpredictable situations, makes them less afraid of new situations and helps them conquer their fear, they believe more in their own abilities and improves their self-worth.
4. Helps build relationships with other people – people who have difficulties mixing with other people can relate more easily and quickly with animals. Animals don’t judge people; they don’t care about people’s abilities or looks. People can interact with them without fear of being judged. Forming relationships with the animals helps people develop bonds with other people.
We have to work in a team with the animals – cleaning out their housing, trimming nails etc so we all have to work together which helps make new friends and improves social skills
5. Distracts people from their problems – people are not thinking about themselves; they are thinking about the animals and the tasks they are doing; this helps relax people and reduces anxiety. At the farm the animals always come first, we are not allowed to have a break until all the animals have been tended too. This helps to develop patience and responsibility.
6. Encourages a healthy lifestyle – Being active all day and out in all weathers, moving the animals to different pens, cleaning them out, running around to catch them or stop them from escaping. Helps people become more active and energetic
7. Animals can be very cute, funny and cheeky: People enjoy taking photos of the animals or drawing them. Some people are very relaxed around the animals, it helps them reduce their stress levels. All of our animals have very different personalities some are naughty, some are cute, some are clever and some think they are human. Working on the farm programme is very popular and it is a really lovely experience to be around the animals.
With your help we can stock more animals to help our trainees gain these valuable skills and experiences. Please follow the link to make a donation.