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Lindsey crosbie

Then choose the Life Hack Equine Assisted Education program for life, work and study skills. Via a series of webinars with accompanying online course, you can learn from the qualified and experienced equine assisted professionals who developed the program. This online certification course will train you to use the Life Hack Curriculum so that you can work alongside horses to help people gain life, work and study skills in your own setting.

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Then choose the Life Hack Equine Assisted Education program for life, work and study skills. Via a series of webinars with accompanying online course, you can learn from the qualified and experienced equine assisted professionals who developed the program. This online certification course will train you to use the Life Hack Curriculum so that you can work alongside horses to help people gain life, work and study skills in your own setting.

The Life Hack Horsemanship course consists of 12, weekly two-hour sessions which include horsemanship lessons and horse care training. It was specifically designed to support the development of pro-social behaviours and delivers a comprehensive curriculum of animal care, life, work, and social skills. Each session consists of two parts:

1. Groundwork curriculum: Horsemanship sessions involving hands on practice, arena demonstrations and review workshops that teach gentle and appropriate horse handling skills. Learning how to safely and empathetically interact with horses and how to use proper body mechanics to effectively command a horse improves physical, cognitive and social abilities, enabling people to transfer these abilities to other aspects of their life, such as a classroom environment and/or work situation. Each week’s lesson has a specific theme including:

· Responsibility

· Respect

· Communication

· Motivation

· Adaptability

· Positive attitude

· Managing emotions

2. Horse care lessons: Instructors teach a new skill each week, building on the learning from the previous week. Lessons are taught from a social or work skills perspective. For instance, to tack up the horse (saddling) requires planning and responsibility, as a person must know in advance what equipment is needed and what needs to be done with the equipment, position it in a specific order and check their work for safety and completeness. Lessons regularly provide an opportunity to learn how to handle problems and come up with creative solutions.

The Life Hack course can be used for groups or individuals. It was developed when it became clear that there was a gap in provision for NEET young adults to gain work and social skills, re-enter education or find employment. The curriculum and teaching strategies focus on helping students learn skills that are transferrable to their lives outside of a riding arena including how to:

• Plan ahead –think about task analysis, problem solving, planning for the future and being prepared for challenges that they will encounter.

• Be flexible and willing to adapt.

• Keep their mind on the task at hand.

• Be confident and engaged.

• Be aware of their environment and the feedback it provides.

• Accept correction and criticism constructively.

• Use horsemanship as an opportunity to socialise appropriately with peers, volunteers and facilitators.

• Understand how they learn best.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Deliver an equine assisted life and work skills program for young people aged 14-25
  • Learn about the key challenges for young people who are neet (not in employment, education or training).
  • Understand how ground-based horsemanship skills can be used to teach life skills
  • Learn how to identify and work with a person's learning style to create a bespoke course of sessions.

Syllabus

Introduction
The Blended Approach
Themes
Who can deliver this curriculum?
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How to ensure that Life Hack is a safe and suitable service for each individual client.

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Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Equine Assisted Life and Work Skills Practitioner Course. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

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Learners who complete Equine Assisted Life and Work Skills Practitioner Course will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator
As an Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator, you guide individuals through interactive activities with horses to foster personal growth and skill development. This course directly prepares you for this role by training you to deliver the Life Hack Equine Assisted Education program, specifically designed to help young people and those with disabilities gain vital life, work, and study skills. You will learn how to use groundwork horsemanship and horse care lessons to teach essential behaviors like responsibility, communication, and managing emotions. The curriculum focuses on transferrable skills such as planning, problem-solving, and adapting, providing a comprehensive framework for success in this field. This particular course offers a specialized certification in a proven curriculum.
Animal Assisted Intervention Professional
An Animal Assisted Intervention Professional uses interactions with animals to achieve therapeutic, educational, or recreational goals. This course is highly relevant, as it trains you to work alongside horses to help individuals develop crucial life and work skills. You will gain expertise in implementing structured animal-human interactions to address specific needs, from fostering pro-social behaviors to enhancing communication and problem-solving abilities. The focus on safe and empathetic horse handling, coupled with adapting sessions to individual learning styles, directly supports the diverse responsibilities of an Animal Assisted Intervention Professional, making this course an excellent pathway into the field with a specific equine focus.
Youth Mentor
A Youth Mentor provides guidance and support to young individuals, often those facing challenges in education, employment, or social integration. This course directly addresses the needs of teenagers and young adults who are not in education, employment or training by equipping you with a unique methodology to help them. Through equine assisted activities, you will learn to foster responsibility, communication, and emotional management, while also enhancing study and work skills. The course's emphasis on understanding individual learning styles and building transferable life skills makes it particularly effective for connecting with and empowering young people, providing you with a practical, engaging approach to mentorship.
Life Skills Coach
As a Life Skills Coach, you empower individuals to develop practical abilities essential for navigating daily challenges and achieving personal goals. This course focuses on helping people gain life, work and study skills through an innovative equine assisted approach. You will learn to facilitate sessions that build crucial competencies like planning ahead, problem-solving, maintaining a positive attitude, and effective communication. The curriculum's structured weekly themes, such as responsibility and self-determination, provide a robust framework for developing holistic life skills. This course offers a distinctive methodology for coaching, particularly beneficial for those who thrive in experiential and non-traditional learning environments.
Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist assists individuals, often with disabilities or disadvantages, in preparing for, obtaining, and retaining employment. This course is particularly relevant given its specific aim to help young adults find employment or go back to learning and to assist people with disabilities in gaining knowledge and skills outside of the traditional classroom environment. You will learn how to implement structured programs that develop essential work skills, such as responsibility, planning, and effective communication, through engaging equine activities. The focus on creating CVs and understanding referral pathways provides a practical foundation valuable for a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist.
Social Emotional Learning Facilitator
A Social Emotional Learning Facilitator guides individuals in developing core social and emotional competencies. This course provides a unique framework for cultivating pro-social behaviours and essential emotional intelligence through equine interaction. You will learn to facilitate sessions addressing themes like managing emotions, respect, communication, and positive attitude. The hands-on horsemanship lessons and horse care activities foster empathy and self-awareness, enabling participants to transfer these abilities to other aspects of their lives. This particular course offers an experiential and engaging approach to social emotional learning, ideal for those seeking innovative methods to support well-being and interpersonal skills.
Experiential Education Instructor
An Experiential Education Instructor designs and leads learning activities that engage participants through direct experience, often in outdoor settings. This course aligns perfectly with this methodology, explicitly embracing Experiential Learning and the Benefits of Outdoor Education. You will learn to utilize horse-human interactions as a powerful tool to teach life, work, and study skills. The curriculum emphasizes hands-on practice, problem-solving, and environmental awareness, enabling learners to build confidence and adaptability. For an Experiential Education Instructor, this course provides a specialized curriculum and practical strategies for facilitating profound learning experiences outside traditional classroom walls.
Program Coordinator Youth Services
A Program Coordinator Youth Services develops, manages, and oversees initiatives aimed at supporting young people. This course is specifically designed to train you to deliver an equine assisted life and work skills program for young people aged 14-25, directly addressing a gap in provision for NEET young adults. You will learn about key challenges for this demographic, how to understand referral pathways, and how to track participant progress. The structured curriculum, from session planning to monitoring and reporting, provides comprehensive preparation for coordinating and ensuring the effectiveness of youth development programs, making this course highly beneficial for this role.
Recreational Therapist
A Recreational Therapist uses recreation and activity-based interventions to improve the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being of individuals with illnesses or disabling conditions. This course may be helpful for a Recreational Therapist, as it trains you to use equine assisted activities to help people with disabilities or learning differences gain crucial knowledge and skills. It emphasizes developing pro-social behaviors, managing emotions, and improving physical and cognitive abilities through engaging horsemanship. While typically requiring an advanced degree, this course provides a distinct, experiential modality for fostering planning, communication, and problem-solving, potentially enhancing your toolkit for diverse client needs.
Disability Support Worker
A Disability Support Worker assists individuals with disabilities in their daily lives, helping them to develop independence and participate fully in their communities. This course may be helpful for a Disability Support Worker because it focuses on innovative methods for assisting people with disabilities or learning differences to help them gain knowledge and skills outside of the traditional classroom environment. You will learn how to facilitate activities that build essential life and work skills, such as responsibility, communication, and problem-solving, through engaging interactions with horses. The emphasis on individualized learning styles supports a person-centered approach to care and skill development.
Special Education Paraprofessional
A Special Education Paraprofessional provides direct support to students with special needs, often working alongside teachers to implement individualized education plans. This course may be helpful for a Special Education Paraprofessional, as it specifically addresses helping people with disabilities or learning differences to gain knowledge and skills outside of the traditional classroom environment. You will learn how to identify and work with a person's learning style to create bespoke sessions, fostering skills like communication, managing emotions, and responsibility through ground-based horsemanship. The course’s focus on alternative teaching strategies can enrich your ability to support diverse learners effectively.
Outdoor Education Instructor
An Outdoor Education Instructor leads groups in educational and developmental activities conducted in natural environments. This course may be useful for an Outdoor Education Instructor because it highlights the Benefits of Outdoor Education and uses hands-on, experiential learning in an outdoor setting. While focused on equine interaction, the curriculum emphasizes skills such as environmental awareness, adaptability, and problem-solving through natural engagement. The lessons in planning ahead and observing feedback from the environment are directly transferable, offering a specialized methodology for enhancing participants' physical, cognitive, and social abilities within an outdoor context.
Community Program Manager
A Community Program Manager oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs designed to serve specific community needs. This course may be useful for a Community Program Manager, as it trains you to deliver a structured program addressing a critical gap in provision for NEET young adults and others needing life and work skills. You will gain insight into understanding referral pathways, monitoring participant progress, and reporting on program effectiveness. The course provides a comprehensive framework for planning and delivering a specialized service, offering practical knowledge for managing a community-based educational or developmental initiative from conception to evaluation.
Wellness Coach
A Wellness Coach supports individuals in achieving holistic well-being by setting goals and developing healthier habits across various life domains. This course may be useful for a Wellness Coach as it promotes overall personal development through fostering positive behaviors and emotional regulation. Weekly themes like managing emotions, positive attitude, responsibility, and self-determination directly contribute to a participant's mental and emotional wellness. The experiential nature of working with horses can build confidence, reduce stress, and improve communication skills, offering a unique and engaging approach to guiding individuals towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Training and Development Specialist
A Training and Development Specialist designs, delivers, and evaluates educational programs to enhance individuals' skills and performance within an organization or for personal growth. This course may be useful for a Training and Development Specialist because it provides a structured Life Hack Curriculum for teaching critical life, work and study skills. You will learn methodologies like experiential learning and how to adapt content to diverse learning styles. The systematic breakdown of sessions, from planning to tracking progress and measuring effectiveness, offers practical insights into program delivery and instructional design, transferable to a range of training contexts beyond equine assisted learning.

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.
While primarily focused on productivity and lifestyle design, this book also touches upon life skills such as time management, prioritization, and outsourcing.
This workbook-based program focuses on developing foundational life skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and goal-setting.
While this book primarily focuses on personal and professional effectiveness, it also touches upon essential life skills such as self-discipline, interpersonal communication, and emotional intelligence.
Explores ancient Toltec wisdom to provide insights into personal development and the cultivation of life skills, such as self-awareness, integrity, and non-attachment.
Explores the cognitive and psychological aspects of learning and provides strategies for enhancing learning abilities as a foundational life skill.
This guide provides research-based recommendations for designing and implementing youth development programs. It is an essential resource for practitioners who work with young people.
Provides a theoretical framework for understanding positive youth development. It is an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners who are interested in promoting the well-being of young people.
Explores the cultural influences on adolescent development. It is an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners who work with young people from diverse backgrounds.
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the field of youth development, including research on physical, cognitive, and social development. It is an essential resource for researchers and practitioners.
Provides a psychosocial perspective on youth development in Spanish. It is an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners who work with young people in Spanish-speaking countries.
Provides an introduction to the field of youth research in German. It is an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners who work with young people in Germany.
Examines the causes and prevention of youth violence. It provides evidence-based recommendations for developing and implementing violence prevention programs.

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