Jess the therapy Dog and youth work

Youth work within Solihull Academy is important as it reaches out to young people on their level as a professional friend. This helps to build trusting and long-lasting relationships where young people feel they can talk about absolutely anything knowing the advice you will give will be non-judgemental with their best interest at heart, based on non-formal and informal learning, this supports their wider learning exploring values and beliefs building confidence and life skills that will stay with them throughout their transition into adulthood.

Jess knows when young people are stressed or upset, as most animals do. She puts herself right on them at their feet and they begin to pet her this has an instant impact on their emotions, and they begin to visibly calm down and soon can return to a more normal state of emotion. The children look forward to seeing Jess and always greet her in the mornings, she herself gets excited as soon as she puts her bandana on in the morning, knowing where she is going. Jess 100% enjoys her job here at Solihull Academy.