Meet the Education Team Part 3

Finally, meet Aoife and her Education Dog, Brave.  They are our South West Education Team and are the newest members of the Dogs Trust Education Programme.

 

Hi Aoife, tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Aoife de Burca, I’ve a degree in Photography and I’m also a fully qualified Primary School Teacher. I’ve always been a big dog lover so it’s a dream come true to work for Dogs Trust.

 

How long have you worked at Dogs Trust?

I started work with Dogs Trust in September, 2013.

 

What parts of Ireland do you visit?

I visit schools in South West Munster, mostly Cork, Limerick and Kerry.

 

Tell us about your Education Dog, Brave.

Brave is a handsome greyhound and an absolute dote. He was left tied to the railings of Dogs Trust a year ago with a badly broken leg. He was given the name Brave because even though he was in such pain and in a very frightening situation he was gentle and strong and definitely very brave!  He is ideally suited to the role of an Education Dog and he loves nothing more than visiting schools and helping teach about responsible dog ownership.

 

What workshops does the Education Programme offer?

We offer a wide range of FREE workshops covering everything children need to learn about Responsible Dog Ownership and how to look after their dogs.  We offer a Safety workshop, demoing how to safely approach a dog with its owner present or what to do if they’re scared of a dog. All our workshops are curriculum linked so for example we have a really fun maths based workshop where children work out the Cost of a Dog over a year. It’s often a lot more expensive than the children expect! We also have a great workshop called Match a Dog where children really enjoy role-playing as a Dogs Trust employee- choosing the right dog for different families who want to adopt a dog. This workshop really gets them into thinking critically and problem solving.  This year we are also introducing a brand new Dog Breeds workshop to help children realise that not every dog is exactly the same as well as a workshop about Dexter the Dog, geared towards younger children.

 

Which workshop is your favourite and why?

I love teaching the Safety workshops because it’s so important for all children to learn how to safely approach a dog in the company of an owner and in what situations they should avoid a dog; such as when they’re eating or sleeping. School children love getting to meet my Education Dog, Brave, at the end of the workshop, putting into practice what they’ve learned. It’s particularly rewarding to see a child who’s nervous of dogs overcome their fear and have the confidence to pet a big dog like Brave. Because they have learned how to do it safely and because Brave is such a gentle friendly dog, it is a really positive experience for them.

 

Is the Education Team involved at any other events at Dogs Trust?

We attend lots of different events at Dogs Trust, such a Santa visit with some children at the centre before Christmas, where we also taught workshops giving lots of tips and advice for dog owners at Christmas time. We also attend the Supporters’ Event at the centre every year, the RDS Horseshow each summer and the various other doggy events that pop up over the course of the year!

 

 

If you would like to book a workshop with Aoife you can contact her on 087 923 9221 or at aoife.deburca@dogstrust.ie.

 

If you would like to find out if Dogs Trust offers FREE Education Workshops in your area, contact education@dogstrust.ie.