Pups in Prison Program
The goal of correctional facilities is to transform a person to be able to re-enter the community in a position to positively contribute. To put a person in this position, it requires understanding their challenges and building their capability to overcome them. For prisoners, this often includes overcoming guilt, shame, depression and building self-belief, resilience, motivation and purpose.
Recognising the powerful benefits of inmate-animal programs to achieve these outcomes, Serco identified an opportunity to implement an initiative through partnering with Assistance Dogs Australia. The ‘Pups in Prison Program’ involves inmates training dogs to then delivered to community members needing assistance.
The social impact measurement of Pups in Prison was designed to begin to understand the short and long-term impact of the program – not only on prisoners, but the prison environment as a whole and the eventual recipients of the dogs.
Overall, the program improves overall wellbeing for trainers and recipients. The biggest areas of impact for trainers were across confidence and self-esteem, mental wellness, connection and relationships.
Jane Kefford from Assistance Dogs Australia with a trainee