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Our team hopes to bring deeper awareness into what positive effects these dogs have on people who struggle with autism. We hope to share a better understanding to the people who interact with our project as well as students in our school as we have just recently gotten a service dog, Bonnie. We want to fund raise for the organisation that gave us Bonnie, a Cork based company called "My Canine Companion" and we want to lobby the government to further fund and support the work that this organisation does. Our motto is: "When I needed a hand, I found a paw"
Our Social Issue
Our team has chosen a social issue that is close to our hearts this year as for the first time our school has been granted a puppy to be trained as an autism service dog. We will be educating our school and wider community about the function and importance of autism service dogs and advocating for more government funding in this area. These dogs help children with autism in schools and in outside life. We are raising awareness around these dogs to show the effect that they have on children and students, even students who just find school hard.
Why We Chose It
We chose this issue because our school recently welcomed Bonnie, our autism service dog, and we quickly realized that many people didn’t understand her role or how to interact with her. As a large school with diverse SEN needs, we saw firsthand how a service dog could provide comfort and support, yet there was little awareness or education on the topic. We wanted to bridge this gap by creating a resource to help schools integrate service dogs smoothly. Our lived experience makes our project unique, and we are passionate about ensuring all schools can benefit from service dogs effectively.
Our Goal
Our big idea is to create a must-have programme for schools introducing a service dog, ensuring a smooth and inclusive transition. To our knowledge, currently, no structured resource exists in Ireland, so we aim to develop a one-off lesson plan and a how-to video featuring Bonnie. This will provide essential knowledge and practical guidance for students and staff. Our goal is to empower schools nationwide, making service dog integration easier while promoting understanding and respect. With YSI’s support, we hope to roll out this resource nationally, ensuring that every school has the tools to welcome a service dog successfully.
Our Innovative Action
We have taken several impactful actions to raise awareness and improve service dog integration in schools. We organized a bake sale, raising nearly €600 for Bonnie’s upkeep. We launched the “Bin it for Bonnie” campaign, reducing floor litter to create a safer environment. We surveyed the entire school community, gathering insights to develop a one-off lesson plan that can be used in any school. We also created viral TikToks with nearly 4,000 likes to educate the public. Our next step is developing a how-to video featuring Bonnie to further support schools introducing a service dog.
Our Impact
Our project has improved awareness, inclusivity, and safety in our school. The “Bin it for Bonnie” campaign created a cleaner environment for everyone while ensuring Bonnie’s safety. Our lesson plan has helped students and staff understand how to interact with a service dog, making Bonnie’s transition smoother and more successful. We have also raised €600 for Bonnie’s upkeep and used social media to educate thousands about service dogs. Most importantly, we have empowered students to be more aware and inclusive, making our school a safer and more welcoming place for autistic and neurodivergent students.