Company News

CSJ Support Animal Interaction Learning Centre

CSJ are proud to support the Lylac Ridge Animal Interaction Learning Centre.

What is Lylac Ridge's main focus?

Lylac Ridges' main focus is to provide opportunities for children and young adults, particularly those experiencing ‘disadvantage', to grow emotionally and learn through interaction with a range of animals.

And its aims?

• Tackle issues of education and exclusion amongst children and young people with limited social skills.
• Raise an awareness and understanding of alternative education .
• Enable children and young people to interact with others and build their
• confidence and self-esteem.
• Offer and promote volunteering opportunities.
• Facilitate workshops throughout schools, youth clubs and centres

Please explain Animal Assisted Interventions?

It is a broad term that includes what is traditionally known as "animal assisted activities” or "animal assisted therapy”.

Lylac Ridge has the ability to deliver activities at its ‘Animal Interaction Learning Centre', based in the Caerphilly County Borough or by providing outreach services.

The Animal Learning Centre is an open space; where animals, wildlife and people grow together. The Centre currently has in excess of one hundred animals which includes domestic animals, dogs, miniature donkeys, shetland ponies, pygmy and dairy goats, various breeds of chickens, kune kune pigs and reindeers to name but a few. Future developments on the land, such as a sensory garden and wild meadow will provide opportunities for learning countryside, wildlife, conservation and horticulture skills.

How do you define ‘disadvantage'?

• Living in poverty or situations of deprivation
• Illness, Distress, Abuse or Neglect
• Behavioural or Psychological Issues
• Disability

Is there a particular need in South Wales?

In South Wales, there is a lack of animal interaction facilities for children in the 5-16 age range.Lylac Ridge will deliver activities at an `Animal Interaction Learning Centre' as well as outreach work.

One of our key objectives is to develop the first Animal Interaction Learning Centre in Wales, bringing international best practice in animal assisted activities into the heart of the Valleys and to communities that need our support the most.

Establishing such a centre will enable us to work more intensively with children & young adults, offering them a safe and stimulating learning environment that they can visit and base from which we can further develop our programme of outreach work.

See more at Lylac Ridge's website http://www.lylacridge.org.uk/

(posted 12/03/2010)