care creating animal respect and empathy SALLY MEAKIN, MANAGER, RSPCA EDUCATION & LEARNING SERVICE, RSPCA VICTORIA INTRODUCTION RSPCA Victoria ‘s Education Department was established in 2002 and over the last 12 years has developed a strong learner-centred approach, ensuring our programs remain relevant to 21st century methods of teaching. These programs are informed and relevant in both content and application; they are also immersive and experiential. Consistent feedback from participants indicates that a high level of engagement with animals also increases the authenticity of their learning experience. We take an integrated and holistic approach, making powerful connections to Principles of Learning and Teaching (POLT) and the Australian Curriculum in Victoria (AusVELS) which support the RSPCA‘s welfare messages and values. RSPCA Education programs also address the critical curriculum - or what MacNaughton and Williams describe in Techniques for Teaching Young Children (1998) – as ―educational processes, which create a more just and wise social world‖. Ethically aware students are empowered to take action and make changes to ensure a sustainable and just world for future generations. The development of current learning spaces, particularly those outside in situ, provide engaging and unique environments in which to deliver rich, real-life learning experiences and strong animal welfare messages. As a department we seek to actively involve and engage with students in a meaningful way. We ensure the content is immersive, addresses the learning domains and the curriculum objectives, and ticks all the measurable boxes required of a successful education service. We believe our real success and point of difference is addressing other less tangible educational outcomes. We not only offer knowledge and technical skills, but demonstrate compassion, integrity and respect through the working relationships which exist between the humans and the animals in our workplace. Students visiting RSPCA Victoria ‘s Burwood East site have an opportunity to learn about our animal welfare campaigns: they debate the ethics of using animals in research and explore the welfare issues associated with the puppy factory industry. The live animal export trade has raised the ambiguity of factory farming practices and students are given a forum to discuss how animal welfare breaches can be endemic in mass production as very often these breaches are as a result of increasing efficiencies and cost-cutting. It seems humans hold all the cards in human – animal relationships and we are not afraid to exploit animals as commodities and to use them at will for our own purposes: without consideration for what they are, for what they give back; and what they do for our society.
CAR E | C OM MU NIT Y BA SE D ANI MA L W ELFARE E DUC AT IO N As a service, we challenge ourselves and evaluate what we do and how well we are doing it on a regular basis. Are our programs effective? What works best? Does one size fit all? Are we helping the students we interact with to become better informed? Are we having a positive impact on companion animals whose lives are affected by their relationships with humans? Most importantly, are we achieving our goals by shaping attitudes and behaviours of future generations? DOES ANIMAL WELFARE EDUCATION WORK? The great question … Evaluation continues to be challenging: how do we know if we are spending our valuable funds appropriately? In tough economic times, evidence- based solutions and short term financial bottom lines are emphasised and education, although profoundly valuable, is undoubtedly a long-term investment. Welfare organisations often don‘t have the luxury of a long-term vision. Studies examining the results of various welfare education programs – generally in the USA – have demonstrated there are changes in attitudes and knowledge due to participation in programs; however, empirical evidence falls short of demonstrating the long term effect. Longitudinal studies and research are expensive and often prohibitive for not-for-profit organisations to fund. While the RSPCA does not have definitive empirical research to support the impact of this kind of education, anecdotally we see the impact this work has on participants of our programs; we feel the enthusiasm and sense the changes, so the question we should perhaps be asking is: can we prove it doesn’t work? Certainly from our standpoint, feedback indicates 84% of students have a better understanding about the needs and welfare of animals after they have participated in an education session at RSPCA Victoria than before attending a session. Alas, identifying whether immediate better understanding continues – ensuring that attitudes and behaviours change accordingly – remains difficult to determine. There is no doubt the investment in good effective animal welfare education must be for the long term – it requires real financial commitment and clear organisational alignment of values. We firmly believe education is the key to shaping the com munity‘s attitudes of the future. Animal welfare is becoming mainstream; it‘s beginning to shape consumer product choices and the practices of our primary producers. These changing attitudes are driving new behaviours in society. Young people are the key t o promoting the new animal welfare agenda. RSPCA Victoria‘s Education Department, with its varied programs, provides learners with excellent opportunities to consider the implications of animal welfare issues, their communities and their society, and in the end this has to be good for everyone and every animal. Anyone who has worked long term in the animal welfare field knows the risk of being overwhelmed and burnt out. Sometimes the struggle can seem never ending, and to remain hopeful and energetic in the face of apparently endless day to day challenges can come to feel impossible for even the most dedicated. This is another reason why education work is so important. My own personal experience is that working to educate and empower others is CAR E | S AL L Y ME AK IN R SP C A V IC TO RIA | PA GE 2
CAR E | C OM MU NIT Y BA SE D ANI MA L W ELFARE E DUC AT IO N a source of constant inspiration and renewal. One‘s perspective is transformed by spending time with others whose lives may, on the surface, be what a mainstream western view would judge as ‗less‘. To witness how young p eople find joy in simply spending time with animals, and how they leap to embrace animal welfare messages when their own circumstances are less than ideal, is affirming and humbling. There is so much hope for the future in listening to the music of young minds embracing the strength of our bond with animals. CARE (creating animal respect and empathy) BACKGROUND Victoria is rich in cultural diversity. Twenty-five percent of Victorians were born overseas, originating from 230 different countries and speaking over 180 languages. Cultural diversity is also reflected through the 116 different religions Victorians practise (Department of Education and Early Childhood Development 2011). The 2006 Census indicates the highest proportion of Australians born overseas originated in the UK (5.5% of Australia‘s total population) followed by New Zealand (2.2%), China (1.3%), Italy (1.1%) and India (1.0%). It shows there has been a steady decrease in the proportion of immigrants from Europe in the last 10 years while there has been a dramatic increase of immigration from Sudan (22% increase between 1997-2007) as well as countries such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Brazil (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008). Christianity continues to be the most common religion practised in Australia however the three most common non-Christian faiths are Buddhism (2.1% of the population) followed by Islam (1.7%) and Hinduism (0.7%). Furthermore, the non-Christian religions have experienced the highest growth rates as a proportion of the population over the last 10 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007a). Considering the demographics of Australia and Victoria described above, the RSPCA has identified a need to engage with communities that are diverse in culture, religion, race and language. The RSPCA (2010, p. 53) Horizon Scan states: some cultures have different understandings and norms about the importance of animal welfare and acceptable treatment of animals than the standards supported by RSPCA and required under Victoria legislation. There is opportunity for RSPCA to communicate animal welfare education messages to targeted newly immigrated communities … METHODOLOGY The CARE program has been trialled in a small number of English language schools. These schools provide intensive English language training for recently arrived immigrants and refugees. The original RSPCA Vic CARE achieved its objectives in positive animal welfare outcomes. Changes in participants‘ attitudes to animals were demonstrated through students ‘ modified interactions with the education animals attending the program sessions. CAR E | S AL L Y ME AK IN R SP C A V IC TO RIA | PA GE 3
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