A seven-month-old cockapoo called Kobe will be joining the teaching staff at a Derby school after graduating dog academy.
Kobe has just completed his Dog Mentor training, meaning he can support staff and pupils at Allestree Woodlands School in classrooms, either with mental wellbeing or with elements of the curriculum, such as improving communication skills.
Kobe graduated training in time to be introduced to the school community on World Mental Health Day (Monday, October 10).
Owner and handler, assistant headteacher Rachel Brailsford, bought Kobe and trained him with the purpose of him becoming a dog mentor, supporting students with their wellbeing.
“As a school we wanted to support more pupils with mental health and so we researched what was being done with dogs in schools,” she said. “Initially we thought of Kobe as a therapy dog, but actually when we found Jenny from The Dog Mentor, we realised he could support in so many other ways in classrooms as well.”
Jenny Duckworth spent at day at the school training Kobe and working with staff and pupils. Following his training as a dog mentor, Kobe can now go into classrooms to help teach pupils how to behave around animals, how to manage their emotions, improve their communication skills and enhance their confidence through performing actions on command.
Jenny said she had seen more need for dog mentors in schools since Covid.
Kobe during his Dog Mentor training.
“There is a great need for additional support since Covid to help build well-being because some children have struggled since having to come back into the classroom,” said Jenny. “My role is to help protect Kobe’s personality and help teach not just him, but everybody working with him, on how to get the best out of him.”
Kobe, along with teachers and staff, received training from Jenny within the school to ensure they could safely work together for the benefit of pupils. They will also receive ongoing information and support to help with Kobe’s work at Allestree Woodlands School.
He will now visit the school each Thursday and Friday to support pupils, as well as coming in on other specific occasions, such as Children’s Mental Health Week in February next year.
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