Illegal access denial and rude behavior is a serious and widespread problem throughout the service dog community. Further compounding these issues is the fact that service dog handlers are often so busy fighting their disabilities and illnesses, that they haven’t the financial or emotional fortitude required to stand up for themselves; and the offenders often get away with blatant violation of civil rights.
The common denominator in all access denials and rude behavior is lack of education in the form of disability awareness and sensitivity training. The award-winning, Canine and Abled, Inc. program is dedicated to promoting awareness and acceptance of service dogs through motivational education.
Canine and Abled, Inc. is highly educational, and falls well within standard curriculum of service dog awareness and disability sensitivity training. The core of the program centers on the motivational messages of Canine and Abled, Inc. founder/President, Kimberly Carnevale.
Kimberly is a former professional equestrian who was vying for a spot on the United States Equestrian team in the illustrious sport of show jumping until a devastating accident left her permanently disabled. She was partnered with her first service dog in 1999. Through personal stories and insightful observations, she shares how she utilized adversity and her athlete training to create successful strategies in order to overcome her seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Kimberly perceptibly demonstrates how the implementation of these strategies can be applied in any setting, ultimately unveiling the “champion” that lies within us all. These strategies are derived from both neurolingustic principals and sports psychology techniques proven to enhance self-motivation. These techniques incorporate principals of the main idea that our thoughts create reality (i.e., controlling our thoughts enable us to ultimately control our reality).
Applying these principals empowers the student with the ability to clearly define and focus on personal strengths, boost self-esteem and eliminate ineffective self-talk and ideologies. Students will learn how to effectively overcome potential environmental barriers (i.e., peer pressure, negative external comments, difficult home situations), in order to maintain goal-oriented focus and forward progression of personal growth and attainment of short and long term objectives.
Program includes a comprehensive task demonstration by one or more of the Canine and Abled, Inc. specially trained service dog(s).
*Each Canine and Abled, Inc. program is specifically formatted to age-appropriateness of each group. Outline is for organization of content only; presentation timeline differs and is professionally delivered to create and ride the wave of creative tension in order to effectively maintain interest throughout entire program.
Objectives:
> By utilizing riveting story-telling, music, and service dog dramatic portrayals throughout; this unique program motivates, educates, and inspires audience members to reach for their dreams. Provides clear, easy-to-understand concepts to achieve their personal best.
> While having fun learning about disabilities, and how service dogs provide tremendous benefits to partnered teams, students also learn important life-coaching skills through the antics of the highly-trained Canine and Abled Dogs.
> By identifying natural talents, students will learn to focus on their innate abilities, and gain confidence through exercises designed to develop those talents.
> Students will learn how to maintain positive focus and attainment of goals through development and implementation of the "Canine and Abled Buisness Plan for Life".
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To learn how negative self-talk can push down our dreams and goals; and to recognize, change, and implement a new self-talk dialog that will increase positive results and productivity.
> To learn how to maintain a postive outlook within a negative society; using common issues that affect today's children such as bullying, media saturation, body image, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
>To learn about the different types of service dogs that assist people with different types of disabilities.
>To become aware of—and empathetic towards—the environmental, attitudinal, and psychosocial barriers that partnered teams face in today’s society.
>To dispel antiquated myths and fear-based attitudes associated with communicating with people with disabilities (partnered with service dogs or otherwise).
>Foster the ability to be open-minded and nonjudgmental.
>Maintain awareness of diversity of societal groups, by becoming cognizant of how our actions today will enhance/hinder our relationships in the future.
>Using principals of personal empowerment, students will learn to set attainable goals, be resilient and proactive in the face of setbacks, and learn to trust and believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Service Dog Awareness
A. What IS a service dog?
1.Canine and Abled, Inc. program explains what a service dog is, and who they are trained to assist.
2.Briefly covers the selection and training of service dogs. Explores the breeds, gender, and personality traits that are desired for service work.
3.Tasks accomplished by service dogs.
B. Benefits of Service dogs
1. Explores psychosocial and health benefits of having a service dog
C. Service dogs in public places
1. Briefly describes access rights of specially trained dogs, and issues regarding these rights.
2. Explains issues that face service dog teams in regards to barrier free access to partnered teams (access denial and rude behavior).
3. Highlights specific and simple ways that students can help promote service dog awareness throughout daily life.
Psychosocial and Support Systems
A. Psychological aspects of chronic illness and disability.
1. Canine and Abled, Inc. founder, Kimberly Carnevale relates personal accounts of the psychological aspects of chronic illness and disability and what life is like for a partnered team.
2. Program material delves into the psychological effects of access denial (illegal refusal of an establishment to grant entry to a service dog team), and rude behavior due to lack of sensitivity training.
Vocational Concepts and Strategies
A. Standards of Practice
1.Canine and Abled, Inc. provides suggestions as to how to implement appropriate communication guidelines.
2. Develop understanding and empathy for the challenges that PWD who utilize SD’s face.
3. Gain an appreciation of how someone with disabilities can lead a productive and positive life.
4. Dispels former, antiquated myths and fear-based mind-sets regarding disability and chronic illness.
B Realization and Preparation of Future Societal Impact
1. Instill in students the power they possess in being tomorrow’s leaders, lawmakers, and societal equality barometers.
* Provide age-appropriate, call-to-action ideas.
*Offer local resources for those interested in becoming involved in disability awareness programs.
2. Instill altruistic ideals and challenge students to strive for a more tolerant and accepting society in years to come.
Motivational Strategies For Achieving Personal Growth
A. Sub Modalities for change
1. Through poignant story telling, program demonstrates how we establish positive and negative belief patterns; and how we can modify those patterns in order to create success in our lives.
B. Learn how to enhance intrinsic motivation
1. Learn to self-monitor and identify “traps” currently hindering peak personal performance.
*Contrasting analysis of current belief patterns
*Changing belief patterns
*Releasing limited decisions
*Releasing negative emotions
2. Determine how to overcome resistance to change needed for personal growth.
3. Set well-defined outcomes and goals.
C. When life gets in the way of our plans
1. Utilizing adversity and change to create better opportunities
* Answers the question, “How to you continue goal attainment in the midst of set backs?”
* Demonstrates how when viewed from a positive and thoughtful perspective, adversity and setbacks can be advantageous.
* Demonstrates real-life examples of strategies that helped Kimberly overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges in her life, and how these strategies can be applied in any setting to create desired outcomes.
Canine and Abled’s Business Plan For Life™
A. School/organization will be provided with a copy of the Canine and Abled’s Business Plan For Life™ in advance of the program, in order to copy and distribute to each audience member on the day of the event. During presentation, students will be given instructions on how to organize and apply the techniques provided into their personal Business Plan.
* The Business Plan For Life™ will assist students to clearly define goals, provide alternative and legitimate solutions to set backs, and will promote healthy and effective personal growth habits that will follow the student through all future endeavors.
Program’s Closing Comments:
Kimberly Carnevale’s closing comments review and solidify the motivational messages set forth throughout her program. Her insightful observations are tried and true testaments that can only come from someone who's nearly lost their life and scratched and clawed their way back on top again.
Kimberly is the perfect tour guide for those on the journey of true self-discovery who seek to create better lives and opportunities. She speaks from her heart and reaches right into her audiences' hearts—changing them forever. Her motivational strategies inspire her audiences to reach for the stars; plan alternative solutions for set backs, and effectively utilize adversity in order to become true champions in their own lives.
For any additional information, references, or questions, please contact:
Kimberly Carnevale
President/Founder- Canine and Abled, Inc.
www.canineandabled.com
canineandabled@aol.com
609-213-7790
