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Equine-Assisted Workshops for Unpaid Carers of the Gold Coast and Tweed Nth Rivers

Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) has been awarded a grant through James Frizelle Charitable Foundation to fund a 6 week equine-assisted program for unpaid carers.

Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) is a registered charity that connects those in need with animal-assisted services that may prevent or help manage mental illness, disability, illness and suffering. 

Unpaid carers are the unsung heroes and backbone of society providing critical support for family members who may have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, disability or illness. The population of people that care for others are often overlooked and can become burned out and unwell in the task of constantly caring for those that need them. Their needs are often overlooked in the task of caring for those that need them and after paying for therapy for the people they care for there is often little left to tend to their own needs.

We aim to support unpaid carers by providing you with a 6-week equine-assisted program that will provide you with:

1. Tools to support your own self care needs including mindfulness, boundary setting, relationship building skills, awareness raising regarding their own behavioural patterns and strategies to support their overall health and wellbeing.

2. Education about strategies to minimise and avoid burnout and compassion fatigue

3. Space to feel held and cared for

4. An opportunity for you to recharge

5. A safe environment for you to share your stories and not feel so isolated and alone

6. A program where you will learn self-care strategies to support you in your role.

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* 1. Contact Details

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* 2. Tell us a little bit about you

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* 3. Please tell us who you care for:

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* 4. Are you paid to care for this person?

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* 5. Why are you interested in equine-assisted therapy?

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* 6. The funding will support 3 groups of 8 unpaid carers in 90-minute weekly sessions for 6 weeks delivered by registered counsellors covering:

Week 1: Sharing stories, getting to know one another and learning about personal space - group process, personal space exercise, art therapy
 
Week 2: Getting clear on boundaries and why they support us to get our needs met- group process, equine-assisted therapy exercise, mindfulness techniques

Week 3: Working on developing resources to support the caring role- group process, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, equine-assisted therapy

Week 4: Working on getting clear on what needs are and how to meet them, identifying patterns of behaviour and why we do the things we do- group process, art therapy and equine-assisted therapy

 Week 5: Learning how to receive and be open to receiving from others- group process, art therapy, equine-assisted therapy

Week 6: Closure, recapping what we have covered as a group, how to stay open to receive support from each other and the community- group process, art therapy, equine-assisted therapy

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* 7. The program will be held at Tallebudgera. Do you have any special needs we need to know about or do you require any support in order to participate in the program?

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* 8. Thank you for your time in completing this application. Once we finalise the application process, we will notify you if you have been accepted into the program. Should your circumstances change and you are unable to attend the program, you agree to provide adequate notice in order for ATL to find another worthy participant. All decisions are final.

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