GET WISE

We’ve refreshed our education programme to help people get wise about welfare when it comes to animals.

When it comes to education, the Dalai Lama once said “we must not forget to educate their hearts”. But what does that mean? For us, it means education isn’t just about learning something new, but gaining an understanding and empathy for the subject you are discovering.

It is largely accepted that a good education can make all the difference to someone’s life chances and experiences, and that applies to animal welfare too. For over a century, education has been at the foundation of what we do. Why? Because the best way to prevent cruelty to animals is to encourage kindness and show people that the strength of the human-animal bond is formidable. Every person who gains an understanding of animal welfare is another who is unlikely to be mistreat an animal, intentionally or not.

That’s why we refresh our education offering every so often. This Autumn, we are delighted to unveil Animal WISE, our new educational programme for people of all ages. Animal WISE offers

more virtual learning, and we’ve teamed up with MyAko to offer free e-learning resources online to all.

Our Head of Education, Policy & Research, Gilly Mendes Ferreira, says the new programme will ensure we can continue to engage with people about animal welfare. “The coronavirus pandemic may keep us out of classrooms and community centres for the time being, but Animal WISE will ensure we can take learning in to anyone’s household.

GET WISE

“Animals can play a vital role in people’s lives and we want to support children’s health and wellbeing; enhance their skills when it comes to literacy and numeracy; offer innovative ways to engage with STEM and inspire future careers.”

“Through our use of robotics, games, quizzes, real stories and role play, we believe this programme will inspire people from all walks of life to become animal champions. We can nurture compassion, empathy and a greater appreciation for animal welfare in Scotland.

“We want to provide unique opportunities that empower pupils to be pioneers within their schools and have a positive impact on the wider community. Animal WISE encourages pupils of all ages and abilities to work together, increase their knowledge and awareness of animal welfare and be inspired to make a difference through engaging with various educational activities.

Animal WISE replaces Prevention through Education, our programme which regularly engaged with up to 250,000 school children every year over the past decade. Our education work fits with Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence so there is a wealth of tools that can be used by teachers from early years through to secondary school. Plus, we work with the University of Edinburgh to study how our programmes are received and the impact they have.

We have published research that shows by teaching animal welfare you can have a significant impact on increasing a child’s knowledge about animals, positive attitudes towards animals and influence a child’s belief that animals have feelings.

Animal WISE aims to encourage people from any generation or background and of any ability to learn more about animal welfare.

The new Animal WISE package also encompasses our Animal Guardians programme, working with children who are showing behaviours towards animals that are a cause of concern. Now in its third year, the Animal Guardians service is now available across most of Scotland and has worked with over 140 children.

We want to provide unique opportunities that empower pupils to be pioneers within their schools and have a positive impact on the wider community.