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One Click is honoured that we are obtaining two government funding in 2023: the “Commission on Children Funding Scheme for Children’s Well-being and Development” from the Commission on Children and “Phase 2 of the Mental Health Initiatives Funding Scheme” from The Advisory Committee on Mental Health (“ACMH”). To help children and youth who are inevitably affected by the 2019-onwards coronavirus epidemic, we proposed two projects for children with study in mainstream school students and special education need school students. Following are the details of the two projects.

 

Project title:

Impact of Animal-Assisted Intervention Dogs on the Performance Behaviors of Special Needs Children

 

Funded by: The Advisory Committee on Mental Health (“ACMH”)

Organized by: One Click, Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Supported by: Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association

 

Project Theme:

Support for children and adolescents with special educational needs

 

Period: 4/2023- 4/2025

Venue: Cover playground, Hall or classroom

 

Co-organization:

Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association (HKGDA) is a local organization with rich experience in

Animal-assisted services. It includes animal assistance activities (AAA), animal assistance

education (AAE) and animal therapy (AAT). Handlers with AAI dogs will interact with students and promote information on mental health during the activity.

If you would like to know more about the organization, you can click the website link:

https://www.guidedogs.org.hk/zh-hant/

 

Activity/ Program involved:

 

Team A: AAEducation

Throughout this process, SEN students can improve their communication skills, deepen their understanding of social emotions, and increase concentration through interaction with AAI dogs. The activities of our program will include the following:

 

  1. Sensation and upper extremity stimulation
  2. Activities of daily living (water and food to the AAI therapy dog) and gait (walk with AAI therapy dog)
  3. Socialization and entertainment (playing with the AAI therapy dog, drawing for the AAI dog)
  4. Agility course (Guide the AAI therapy dog through obstacles)
  5. Expression course (put some unique Velcro tests and patterns on the name tag on the AAI therapy dog)
  1. Speech lessons (give the dog instructions, call the AAI therapy dog’s name)

 

If you want to know more about Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) services, you can click it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsHNC3UgOJg

 

Team B: AAActivity

Dog handlers and AAI dogs will walk around the school at 1st and 2nd weeks to integrate into the school environment. Then, handlers and AAI dogs will try to visit a classroom and interact with SEN students. Throughout this process, we aim to improve SEN students in close encounters with AAI dogs.

 

Before and after the project, we will distribute a pre- and post-questionnaire for the participant’s parent/ career and school teacher to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. Also, we will distribute reply slips to understand students’ and parents’ willingness to participate.

 

Project Diary:

We are inviting different schools to join our project now. If interested, please don’t hesitate to fill in the form or contact our research assistant. (Tel: 9174 2385/ E-mail: charis10@hku.hk)