A youth violence-prevention program offered by spcaLA combines classroom discussions and activities with hands-on training of shelter dogs.
The three-to-four-week program, Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC), works with students from the Long Beach Unified School District to help students “practice patience, compassion, and empathy by working through the conflicts and challenges of performing as a group to train shelter animals,” according to a press release.
Natali Medina, a youth program coordinator for spcaLA, told KNX News’ Margaret Carrero that combining those two elements helps kids become more empathetic.
“And inevitably they end up kind of making the same connection with their peers and as a group,” she said.
She added that it takes a while to gain the kids’ trust.
“But usually by the end of graduation it's usually a pretty sentimental ceremony,” she said. “A lot of kids form a really strong attachment with their animal and with each other.”
Currently, the program is working with kids from Stephens Middle School. Tomoko, an eighth grader, said she’s learned a lot since being a part of the program.
“I've learned how to train the dogs, how to get them to behave,” she said. “I've learned how to build a community and how to get along with people even if they're not people that I'd personally hang out with outside of that.”
A graduation ceremony will be held on March 21.
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