Accessing funding support for our programs

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Canine Comprehension programs are officially recognised under the Department of Education’s School Mental Health Menu, making it easier for Victorian schools to access funding.

If your school is looking to implement wellbeing-based learning through dog-assisted interventions, you may be eligible for support under Tier 1 and Tier 2 funding categories. Below you’ll find everything you need to know to get started.

School Mental Health Menu to fund our programs

DET Funding Details are below, or go to the DET website.

Tier 1: Positive Mental Health Promotion

Tier 2: Early Intervention Cohort Specific Support

Type of Intervention: Animal wellbeing programs

Stength of evidence: Level 3: Foundational and emerging evidence for program.

Geographic Availability: State-wide, rural/regional

Program Provider: Canine Comprehension

Intended Outcomes

  • Improve students interpersonal and social skills
  • Improve students emotion management
  • Enable better connections at school

Target Audience:

  • Primary School Students – lower
  • Primary School Students – upper
  • Secondary School Students – lower
  • Secondary School Students – upper
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students
  • LGBTIQ+ Students
  • Asylum Seeker and Refugee Students
  • Students with Disabilities

Delivery Mode:

  • Face-to-face
  • Combination
  • One online session is available to make up a missed face-to-face session

Implementation considerations

  • Target population: Students in P-12 who have a broad spectrum of needs and personalities.
  • Program adaptability: Programs are written in a manner that allows tutors to change and amend the program to suit the needs of the group. Different program options allow schools to select the most relevant content for their students.
  • Staffing: One school staff member needs to be present for each session, observing and sometimes participating in the session.
  • Training requirements: There is no pre-requisite training. The use of a quiet room where there is enough space for the participants to sit in a large circle is required.
  • Factors to consider: Maximum of 10 students per group.
  • Australian context: The program is not available in Western Melbourne Wimmera South West and Barwon South West regions: Southern Melbourne South East region: Hume Moreland, Loddon Campaspe and Mallee North West regions or any of the North East regions.