Global warming. Air, ocean and environment pollution. Extinction of whole species of animals. Decrease the number of forests, plants and wild nature. Unlimited use of all natural resources. Consumer and rigid attitude towards animals. In today's world, the ecological state of the planet poses a challenge for mankind to preserve the environment. An important element of its solution is to change the consciousness of every inhabitant of the planet and its behavior in relation to the surrounding environment and all its elements.
For example, everyone should understand his or her responsibility for un-cleared piles of rubbish in yards, because this pile begins with one piece of paper thrown past the trash bin. Every inhabitant of the city is responsible for increasing the number of homeless animals in the city, because every day someone puts his pet or his offspring on the street for various reasons (tired of an animal / broken furniture / children / moving to a new apartment - it's necessary to emphasize).
And yes, everyone is responsible for this unpunished cruelty and aggression towards defenseless animals that reigns in our country. Because unfortunately, for many people it is normal to hurt a homeless dog for fun, to watch the situation of cruelty against animals and just walk past it And after all, we are surprised by the result – increase of terrifying news of mockery of animals, which come with a frightening frequency. The terrible example of Khabarovsk in 2016 showed how far, and how quick, the younger generation can reach a certain level of cruelty.
The level of unjustified aggression and cruelty to animals, consumer attitudes towards the environment, lack of understanding of responsibility and inhumane attitude towards animals pose an important question for the whole society: How to change the outlook of the world population towards the environment and animals, in particular the younger generation?
The answer to this question can be the development of more humane education programs. Humane education in general is a process that promotes a better understanding of the importance of compassion for people, animals and the environment and recognizes the interdependence of all living beings.
Every single individual acquires and develops the first ideas about this world in childhood. How a child will grow – as a kind and a merciful person or as a cruel and an aggressive one - will quite often depend on how he was taught to treat nature and animals in his or her childhood upbringing. If a child has learned to empathize with an animal, he will also sympathetically react to human suffering.
Therefore, we have developed the project «School of young zoo-volunteers», with its main goal as the education of children in humane and responsible attitude to animals and involve them in the environmental protection process!
In addition to the direct goal, the education of a kind attitude towards animals and respect for their life, at the same time another goal is achieved: the formation of a moral person in general!
Target audience:
1 semester (pilot project, March - May 2017):
- Students of 3-9 grades in primary and high school in Kazan city.
2nd and subsequent semesters (from October 2017):
- Students of 2-11 grades in primary and high school;
- Students of Higher and Secondary educational institutions.
Project Partners:
- «Makarovfilms» studio - assistance in preparation and filming of commercials, editing, attraction of a specialist at a film studio for conducting master classes for children in filmmaking;
- Foundation for the Development of Social Initiatives «For Future!», «Paw» Charitable Foundation - information support and assistance in finding sponsors;
- «Take home», news blog «ZooAtlas», «Metro.Kazan» weekly edition - information support;
- Kostroma Regional Public Organization for Animal Care «The right to live» - borrowing a part of the methodical and educational program.
Results of the first pilot semester of the School (March-May 2017):
- 60 students of different ages of three secondary education institutions in Kazan (students of 2-8 grades of primary and high school) passed a whole educational program of the School;
- 15 sessions were held by specialists (veterinarian, director, photographer, craftsman);
- 17 drawings were drawn by students in the framework of the contest "We are responsible for those who have been tamed";
- 4 stories were written by the students of the senior group of the School. They have been published on the online information portal ZooAtlas;
- Participation of students of the School in the ecological action "Ecobomb", that was held in Kazan, on creation of leaflets on the theme of environmental protection;
- Collection of feed for stray homeless animals by students of the School;
- On June 11, the Family Charity Feast "Help a Furry Friend" was held as a part of the completion of the first semester of the School;
- Writing a wall newspaper by students, other examples of social print advertising on the topic of homeless animals;
- The students of the School, together with the film studio "Makarovfilms", create two short films and two video reports on the topic of stray animals. Students have worked together on the scenarios, participated in the filming process both behind the scenes, and were shot in the frame as actors!
Links to the students’ work:
- short film «Abandoned» (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW-aYla-gNE&feature=youtu.be);
- short film «The Story of one Cat» (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll7tqZWQato&feature=youtu.be);
- two spots-reportage from the shelter "Lucy’s house": first (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTeMr-ePRxw&feature=youtu.be), second (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_tnm0lFTkU&feature=youtu.be).
Out project on Boomstarter: boomstarter.ru/projects/587779/shkola_yunogo_zoovolontera!
