Since 1999, our Education and Activities Unit has been visiting residential homes/nursing homes, hospices, rehabilitation centres and hospitals. This activity has now been moved to our sister charity, the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys (EST) under its Outreach work and our work with the children has been expanded.

We provide an interactive approach to education, involving specially trained donkeys.

Sessions provide hands-on experience (including grooming and donkey walking) which can be tailored to specific curriculum topics or related class projects. The sessions are offered either:

• on site at The Donkey Sanctuary, or
• mobile visits to your school or youth group in the South West.

Donkeys can act as a source of learning, encouraging responsibility and care towards fellow human beings and animals in a very practical way; to children and young people of all ages. Curriculum subjects and class projects can be translated through this tactile and fun learning facility. Our teacher support pack is a valuable resource to build on our education sessions long after the donkeys have gone.

The safety of both those we visit and our donkeys are of paramount importance. Therefore, all our 'school' donkeys undergo a thorough training programme, which may take several months (depending on the individual donkey), to ensure that:

• they are as trustworthy as possible with children;
• they are not subjected to any situation which may cause them distress.

Mobile and 'on-site' visits are met with enormous enthusiasm from both pupils and teachers alike. These visits are carried out all year round, irrespective of the weather, as the donkeys are just as happy to meet children in school halls or class rooms (canvas mat provided)!