When our branch team recently learned about the success of the Story Dogs program in other regions of Australia, we were quick to investigate if there was a local program we could support.

The closest we could find to the inner west of Melbourne was the Wyndham program, learning that one of the major restrictions on the program was a lack of volunteers.

Our team love a challenge, so we’ve helping Story Dogs as best we can – purchasing some much-needed books but also raising awareness of the program in the inner west to hopefully garner volunteers.

Volunteer, Wendy Jenner, provided the feedback “The students in our program are excited to have new books to read. “These books are wonderful and the kids are going to love them. It’s terrific to have a big variety of contemporary stories that appeal to the students, rather than curriculum based and older, less interesting stories.”

Story Dogs was formed in 2009 in Murwillumbah, NSW by parents Leah Sheldon and Janine Sigle. After seeing a similar program operating in the USA on the internet, they decided Australia needed such a program.

They first trialled the program in 2009 in their own children’s school, Murwillumbah East Public School, even though the Principal and others were unsure how successful it would be. When children read to a dog, the outcomes are amazing!

It is a non-judgemental setting, the children’s focus improves, their literacy skills increase and their confidence soars. 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.

To the Principal’s surprise, Story Dogs was very successful, with great improvements noticed in the participating students. There was positive feedback from the students, the teachers, the principal and the parents. From there, Story Dogs expanded and continues to grow and help all of Australia.

“Students love the experience and do not really think that it is actually a learning task – they just have fun!” – Kristi Purvis, Teacher at Centaur Public School, NSW. “In one term, I have seen a little boy who started on level 12 at the beginning of the term and reached level 25 by the end. The little boy’s teacher is amazed, but watching him with ‘Holly’, it is clear that he just needed a reason to sit still while he reads. Patting ‘Holly’ while reading was the perfect excuse.”

Each week, Story Dogs help over 2935 children per week with 597 volunteer dog teams supporting 421 school throughout Australia. Currently there are 83 dog teams looking for sponsors to help them undertake their valuable work. For the team at Story Dogs, it is their vision to “make reading fun for all children, so they become confident lifelong readers. No child should be left behind in literacy.”

At Community Bank Seddon, we would love to be able to sponsor Story Dogs in schools in the inner west. But what they need now is more volunteers. If you’ve got a dog that loves kids and think Story Dogs might be a good fit for you, find out more or get in touch at Story Dogs.