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Description
The aim of the project is to support resocialization of people getting out of jail by giving them an opportunity to train shelter dogs. By helping to raise the well-being of shelter dogs, participants'' own emotional well-being rises as well. They learn how to be socially proactive. They gain new important skills that help them in life and in finding and keeping a job (patience, consistency, moving with small steps towards improving results, noticing the improvement, and reflecting over them). Together with project partners, Baltic Institute for Crime Prevention and Social Rehabilitation, Foundation for Diaconia and Social Work of Estonian Evangelical Church and Johannes Mihkelson Centre, a programme that has previously been used as a separate intervention method will be changed so that it could be used as a tool by mentors. This will allow the programme to reach part of the target group, who live outside of Tallinn and Tartu and whose native language is Russian.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project was to support resocialization of people getting out of jail by giving them an opportunity to train shelter dogs. By helping to raise the well-being of shelter dogs, participants'' own emotional well-being rises as well. They learn how to be socially proactive. They gain new important skills that help them in life and in finding and keeping a job (patience, consistency, moving with small steps towards improving results, noticing the improvement, and reflecting over them).
The start of the program was delayed because of Covic-19 pandemic. Eventually the program was launched in Tartu with 3 people graduating. In addition to resocialization of participants the aim was also to test the renewed methodology on a new target group: recently released inmates in supported housing. To assess the methodology interviews were conducted with participants, however, these caused anxiety and it was decided to redesign the evaluation methods of the program. The continuation of the program was interrupted because unexpected renovation of the animal shelter. The launch of the program in Tallinn was delayed because of staff changes and eventually the Project Promoter, assessing the time until the project end date and the need to adjust the methodology that the likelihood of achieving the planned results was minimal and that the continuation would have resulted in wasting both human and financial resources. The project was terminated at mid-term.
Three people graduated the program as support person. The Project Promoter is looking for ways to continue with the program in the future.