Golden retriever Honey loves her job - listening to stories, receiving cuddles and pats from children and hearing them call her name when she walks into school.
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Honey is a Story Dog, helping children learn to read, build confidence and develop comprehension skills.
And she does it all with a wag of her tail and an attentive smile.
"We would love to see a dog in every school because it helps children so much," said Honey's owner and Story Dogs' Ballarat coordinator Jacqui MacMillan.
"We need to do anything we can to help children with confidence and literacy. If they need something different to do that and reading to a dog is a thing that helps them, then we would love to see a Story Dog in every school."
Story Dogs and their volunteer handlers have been excited to get back to school after being suspended from visiting for much of last year because of the COVID pandemic.
"I think after last year there's a lot of kids who are really anxious, and some who struggled, so we feel this is our year when they really need the dogs more than ever," Mr MacMillan said.
The program is aimed at primary school children who may lack confidence, have difficulty with English, have short attention spans, or reading scores that are below average for their age and grade.
"Our volunteer teams go into school for at least two hours per week, working with four to six children one-on-one. The children cherish this time with their Story Dog, it is a non-judgemental setting, the children's focus improves, their literacy skills increase and their confidence soars," Ms MacMillan said.
"The accepting, loving nature of dogs gives this program its magic and helps children relax, open up, try harder and have fun while reading to a friendly, calm dog."
During reading sessions, the handler often speaks through the dog, such as; "Honey doesn't understand what is happening on this page, could you help her out?" The child becomes the teacher as they help the dog understand, and their confidence soars.
Story Dogs currently help pupils at Buninyong Primary School, Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School, Bungaree Primary School, Emmaus Catholic School and Ballan Primary School but Ms MacMillan wants to recruit more volunteers and their dogs so more schools can take part in the program.
She said dogs of any breed, shape or size could become Story Dogs, and full training is provided.
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"When I got my golden retriever I wanted to do therapy work and when she turned three I looked around to see what was available. I came across Story Dogs and because I love reading, literacy and children I just thought it was a wonderful program which has the opportunity to help children and my dog loves to be cuddled and patted so it seemed like a perfect fit," Ms MacMillan said.
But the program was not available in Ballarat, so she offered to become a local coordinator.
Potential volunteers, schools or sponsors can contact Story Dogs online at www.storydogs.org.au or email jacquim@storydogs.org.au.
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