The WAGS Principles of Service Delivery
WAGS has based its principles of service delivery on the notion of ‘doing what works’.
No intervention, regardless of how well intentioned it may be, can be effective in improving the lives of young people, if they are unable or unwilling to engage with it.
1. Relationship.
The importance of the relationship between worker and service user cannot be overstated. The canine crew are masters at drawing in young people but the real work involves challenging individuals at a level at which they are able to succeed and keen to learn more.
2. Collaboration.
WAGS works closely with staff at all levels within referring schools and staff within other referring agencies in order to better understand and meet the changing needs of the young people we work with. WAGS is an active member within the community and maintains referral pathways that enhance and extend our ability to achieve more sustainable outcomes, greater impact and better responses to complex situations for young people.
3. Strengths based
WAGS sessions actively seek out the strengths of participants and their networks. This enhances the effectiveness of the intervention and allows us to show young people how the application of what they already have can have positive impacts on their circumstances in the short to long term.
4. Participation
True participation and empowerment of young people begins by providing the opportunity to gain tangible skills, make real decisions and contribute to their community. Participation provides a greater sense of control over what happens, both to and for young people.
WAGS is a program in which participation is easy and can occur on many levels. Young people may choose both how they participate in the activities and how deeply they engage. Learning occurs at all levels.
5. Responsive and Flexible
Just like young people, the WAGS canine team includes a highly diverse range of personality types. This factor drives the innate flexibility of the program and its ability to be instantaneously responsive. There are no hard and fast rules which govern session content in WAGS and sessions may need to respond to many existing environmental factors.
No intervention, regardless of how well intentioned it may be, can be effective in improving the lives of young people, if they are unable or unwilling to engage with it.
1. Relationship.
The importance of the relationship between worker and service user cannot be overstated. The canine crew are masters at drawing in young people but the real work involves challenging individuals at a level at which they are able to succeed and keen to learn more.
2. Collaboration.
WAGS works closely with staff at all levels within referring schools and staff within other referring agencies in order to better understand and meet the changing needs of the young people we work with. WAGS is an active member within the community and maintains referral pathways that enhance and extend our ability to achieve more sustainable outcomes, greater impact and better responses to complex situations for young people.
3. Strengths based
WAGS sessions actively seek out the strengths of participants and their networks. This enhances the effectiveness of the intervention and allows us to show young people how the application of what they already have can have positive impacts on their circumstances in the short to long term.
4. Participation
True participation and empowerment of young people begins by providing the opportunity to gain tangible skills, make real decisions and contribute to their community. Participation provides a greater sense of control over what happens, both to and for young people.
WAGS is a program in which participation is easy and can occur on many levels. Young people may choose both how they participate in the activities and how deeply they engage. Learning occurs at all levels.
5. Responsive and Flexible
Just like young people, the WAGS canine team includes a highly diverse range of personality types. This factor drives the innate flexibility of the program and its ability to be instantaneously responsive. There are no hard and fast rules which govern session content in WAGS and sessions may need to respond to many existing environmental factors.