Community Fund Spot Light - Story Dogs

An annual initiative of Ashbury Estate’s developer, Dennis Family Corporation, 2022 marks the fifth year the Ashbury Community Fund has been up and running. This year, 22 happy community and not-for-profit groups from Armstrong Creek and surrounding areas received grants totalling $32,000, including Story Dogs Geelong.

Based on the successful American literacy program, Reading Education Assistance Dogs, Story Dogs is built around the idea of children reading to dogs, and is designed to make it fun for children. The organisation’s success is due in no small part to some 600 dedicated volunteer Dog Teams like Story Dogs Geelong, who visit schools each week as part of the program.

We recently caught up with Karen Knuckey from Story Dog’s Geelong Dog Team to find out a little more about the organisation and how Story Dogs Geelong plans to utilise the grant. 

Tell us about Story Dogs?

“Founded in the Tweed Heads area in 2009, the Story Dogs program is now available in almost 400 schools across NSW, QLD, VIC, TAS, WA, SA and ACT, helping and encouraging over 3,000 students each week to become confident, lifelong readers. The reading sessions are designed to help children who are below reading level or struggling to stay at level. First and foremost it enables children to develop confidence and improves their focus as the sessions are conducted one-on-one in a quiet place away from the classroom. Typically the majority of students participating in the program are from Year 2.”

Tells us a little bit about you and how you became involved with Story Dogs Geelong? 

“I joined Story Dogs in back 2019. I’d been looking around for a therapy-type role for my dog as she was showing all the signs that she would be excellent for this kind of work. It must be so hard for kids who struggle to read; it’s such a fundamental part of how we live our lives. So, as an avid reader myself, when I found out about Story Dogs, I just knew this would be a perfect fit for us.

“It was such a success that when my younger dog was ready, she joined the program as well, and I alternate taking each of them into schools for weekly reading sessions. These typically involve 20-minute one-on-one catch ups with selected students who read to whichever dog I have with me somewhere quiet away from the classroom. My role is to help out if needed, but not to teach because the objective is primarily to get children to enjoy reading without expectations or pressure to perform or get it right. The dogs provide a calm, non-judgemental audience, allowing kids to feel more comfortable doing something which perhaps they don’t particularly enjoy.”

What are the most rewarding things about being involved with Story Dogs?  

“I really love seeing the bonds that develop between students and the dogs. Kids really look forward to their sessions and the dogs love it too. It’s just so wonderful to spend a year with these children and see just how much their reading improves over the passage of twelve months.”

What are the biggest challenges facing the organisation?

“As a non-profit organisation, funding is always a challenge. However, we’re so lucky and grateful to receive support from some wonderful people and organisations within the community like Dennis Family Corporation. Sometimes we have a waiting list of schools who want to join the program, but we simply don't have enough volunteers to meet demand. Fortunately, most schools are patient – it’s worth the wait.”

How are you planning to use the Ashbury Community Fund grant?

“The Ashbury grant will enable us to provide more books for our Geelong region program. We endeavour to provide books that are current, that we know children will be interested in reading, rather than traditional ‘readers’ and curriculum-based books. At the end of the day, we just want reading to be fun. So, it’s important that kids have a selection of books that appeal to them.”

If you were granted one wish Story Dogs, what would it be?

“Easy! That every Primary School has access to the Story Dogs program!”

How can people become involved, support the organisation, access services, donate, volunteer etc?

“There are so many ways that people can become involved with Story Dogs Geelong. If you think your dog might be suitable to participate in the program, we welcome all types of dogs, except for restricted dog breeds. But obviously your dog’s temperament, obedience and willingness are also key here. Dogs also need to pass an accreditation test carried out by our certified Dog Team Assessors and need to have annual vet checks, vaccinations, council registration, and be clean and groomed before going into schools.”

“We’re also always on the lookout for individuals who are keen to be organisers, doers and go getters. Or you could make a donation. It costs approximately $500 per year to put a Dog Team into each primary school. So, we’re always incredibly grateful for any financial contributions, no matter the size. Just visit our website storydogs.org.au for more details and information.”

For more details about the Ashbury Community Fund, visit the Ashbury website at www.ashburyestatel.com.au.