WHAT DO WE DO?

Over the eight-week course, dog training teaches the value of patience, discipline and hard work. It also offers young people the opportunity to learn cooperative and considerate ways of dealing with problems which may arise during the training, which in turn provides alternative coping strategies in their own lives.

YAG is a group of young people, in their teens or older, who have graduated from the Nelson Ark programme and who have been inspired and motivated to remain involved with the Ark.

The group provides a structure where members can initiate and become involved in projects which benefit both the Ark and the local community.

Members of the group have a wide range of skills such as public speaking, art and design and other practical skills which they use both individually and as part of the group to help the Ark.

Since graduating, themselves, several of the group have chosen to come back as volunteers on a regular basis to help with the day to day running of the programme. Where they are able to use their own experience to guide and mentor current students through the course. And, of course, the training skills and empathy they have are very valuable with the rescue dogs.

Recently, the group ran a school holiday programme with the help of, dog trainer, Vikki