Help kids succeed at school with therapy dogs
Children of all ages are experiencing social and emotional anxiety in the classroom that is impacting their ability to interact, concentrate, and learn.
The Paw Pals Appeal supports MacKillop Family Services' Paw Pals Animal-Assisted Education Program, which uses therapy dogs to help students who are disengaged from education to manage their emotions and behaviour, improve their confidence, and reignite their love of learning.
Paw Pals supports over 800 students across Victoria, and with your help, we can support hundreds more! Read how the Paw Pals team helped one student, Jackson, below.
We need your help!
Paw Pals is community funded, and relies on generous donors, people just like you. To keep this essential program going, and to help many more vulnerable children, please donate by Tuesday 30 April, and have your donation tripled by our generous Matching Partners.
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Free resource with every donation
When you make a donation to the Paw Pals Appeal, you will receive two free resources as a special thanks for your generous donation.
If you’re supporting a child to attend school, we hope you find our tips on responding to school refusal helpful. Alternatively, if you’re a dog lover, we encourage you to watch a short video of our Paw Pals Facilitators and Ambassador Lara Shannon as they share tips on how to ensure your dog stays happy and healthy.
Your free resources will arrive with your email receipt confirmation.
How Paw Pals helped Jackson
Jackson was afraid to go to school. He didn’t have any friends. He struggled to concentrate and take anything in. School was the last place he wanted to be. He would kick and scream when his mum dropped him at school. So, he stopped going. When Jackson started working with Paw Pals he was amazed at how brave his therapy dog Bear was. He wanted to be brave like Bear, too.
Bear helped Jackson to focus and learn
by sitting beside him in class, providing a calming presence where he could practise his skills without fear of judgement.
Bear helped Jackson make friends
by teaching him what makes a good friend and helping him practice his social skills in the classroom.
Bear gave Jackson confidence
by learning tips and tricks from him, and showing Jackson that he could also teach others what he has learned.
Bear provided a safe space at school
by giving Jackson the support he needed to overcome challenges and become the best version of himself he can be.
Children and young people in the Paw Pals program see our therapy dogs as superheroes — and they are! Paw Pals has the power to change a child’s life for the better, by helping them re-engage with their education. You can help more kids like Jackson become Brave like Bear by supporting Paw Pals today!
Dogs possess a remarkable ability to help young people to navigate their emotions and challenges. The Paw Pals program harnesses this ability to reconnect children with their learning and inspire greater resilience and wellbeing. With their furry friends by their side, the Paw Pals facilitators are transforming young lives.
Lara Shannon, Executive Producer/Host of Pooches at Play
How does matched giving work?
You donate
We match your donation
Your impact is tripled*
*Our generous partners are passionate about the work of Paw Pals and committed to making your donation go further! Donate today to have triple the impact. So, your donation of $10 will become $30!
Maximum donation amount for matching: $5,000.
Donations will be tripled by our Matching Partners on Tuesday 30 April until we reach our goal of $360,000.
How your gift can help
$45
Can cover resources such as activity books, and educational games — everything our facilitators need to make learning fun for children who have disengaged from school.
$98
Can buy a Paw Pal’s Therapy Dog jacket — important for public awareness that our Paw Pals are working and should not be distracted from their important work.
$300
Can pay for a Therapy Dog refresher course, to ensure our Paw Pals and their facilitators are up to date on the latest training needed to work effectively to re-engage kids with education.
$1,700
Can give our Paw Pals everything they need to stay happy, healthy and thriving including trips to the vet, vaccinations, food, active toys, grooming, and plenty of treats!
$2,500
Can fund a Full Therapy Dog Certification — a course all Paw Pals and their facilitators are required to undertake to help people reduce stress and lead happier lives.
Our generous partners
Click the logos to learn more about our partners and why they support our Paw Pals Program..
Supporters helping achieve our goal
Your generosity is helping kids who have experienced adversity or anxiety to succeed at school.
Our supporters
Ash Naulty
Campbell McPherson
Rebeca Mitchell
Sara H
Tania Ferris
Pippin Lewis
Michelle Phong
Peter May
Paul Eikelboom
cheryl hassett
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