Education and Outreach

Part of the SPCA's mandate is to educate animal owners and the public about responsible animal care and how to develop humane, compassionate relationships with animals. The Education Committee was formed in March 2008 and coordinates initiatives to educate and increase public awareness, including creating educational material, visiting schools and youth groups, developing programs and conducting research. The Education Committee welcomes volunteers from across the province. The committee seeks volunteers who can contribute in one or more of several different areas, such as:

• Contributing knowledge of animal care and behaviour
• Visiting schools and other public venues to discuss animal welfare issues
• Pursuing outreach opportunities for both broad and targeted audiences
• Developing public awareness campaigns
• Creating mass media material such as magazine and newspaper articles
• Designing printed and digital media material
• Using computer software, including Microsoft and Adobe products
• Preparing and distributing printed material
• Conducting research on animal care and animal welfare issues
• Writing and editing
• Graphic design

Projects the committee has completed to date, including a newsletter, adoption guides for cats and dogs, and a variety of information sheets, can be found under Advocacy and Education on this website.

Outreach Program

The Nova Scotia SPCA is looking for volunteers with teaching experience to help train volunteers in the Halifax area to deliver the content.

Many animal welfare organizations in North America have developed lesson and activity plans that are available through the web for use by other groups. The Education Committee needs assistance in identifying whether the available is appropriate for use with children and youth in Nova Scotia schools, libraries and other venues. The messages conveyed by the lessons and activities should be in line with the positions of the Nova Scotia SPCA on various animal welfare issues; be deemed suitable for the target age group; and be easy to implement by volunteers who do not have formal teaching experience.

The Committee also welcomes assistance from volunteers who wish to research other educational resources or develop their own.

Once material has been selected, we will require help training volunteers to deliver the content to ensure consistency and understanding.

If you are interested in getting involved or would like more information on any of our programs or projects, contact Kelly Welsh, Outreach Officer, at outreach@spcans.ca.