In 2016, Equine Enrichment signed a five year contract with Rocky View School Division, to work with their students and teachers in a program that would help them to become more confident. 

Angie Payne, owner and certified equine gestalt coach at Equine Enrichment, says that so far the program has been very successful, and they've been receiving great feedback from many of the youth who go through their program. 

One student said "I learned a lot about myself in these six weeks, and found a new person inside me". 

Another student says, "It was my safe space and it honestly got me through some really hard times that I don't think I would have been able to get myself through otherwise".

The youth program is two hour sessions at a time, once a week, for a duration of six weeks.

The goal that Payne and her partner, Amy Monea, who is also a certified equine gestalt coach have put into place for youth is to leave the program feeling confident, self-reliant, and to have an outstanding sense of self-worth. 

The main targets during this six week program are to help youth practice caution, establish courage and boundaries, to build and maintain positive relationships, and to communicate the emotions they have.

Payne says their goal is to continue growing their program, and that they are always having conversations with the school division about how they can come up with funding for the program. 

The program is open to children of all ages, as the program also holds individual sessions. 

 

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