A young man who spent two years struggling with alcohol and drug addiction has been “given a reason to live again”, thanks to a donkey-assisted activity programme.
Kaiden, 20, from Leeds, described his life as a “dark place”, in which he was “surviving and not living”. He lived with his dad and girlfriend, smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol, and he struggled to keep a job.
Kaiden was accepted into the care coordination pathway at EMERGE Leeds, having been referred by his GP for “interpersonal and emotional difficulties”. EMERGE Leeds is a specialist service covering West Yorkshire, provided by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The service works with people aged 18-25, some of whom are new to mental health services or are transitioning to adult services from child and adolescent mental health services.
After a period of work with his care coordinator, Kaiden was introduced to occupational therapy, which included a donkey-assisted activity programme at The Donkey Sanctuary in Leeds. The centre is one of six in the UK that offer services to the local community, while providing refuge for donkeys in need.
A spokesman for the programme said that when Kaiden initially turned up to sessions his hair would cover his face to limit the amount of eye contact he had with others, and he responded to questions with one-word answers. But in time, he said he felt “listened to”, and “not judged”. He started attending sessions dressed differently and said he wanted to “make an effort, feel smart, and be more open”. He had his hair cut, and his facial expressions changed, with “warm smiles, and obvious connections being made with the donkeys”.
“Before I came to The Donkey Sanctuary my life was really unpleasant. I had nothing to live for, nothing to look forward to and enjoyed no part of my life,” said Kaiden.
“Since working with EMERGE Leeds and the donkeys, I feel transformed. I feel confident in myself, I feel positive and I look forward to each new day. I’m only 20 and feel like I’ve been given a second chance to live again and I’m going to grab that chance with both hands and take it.”
“I wanted to make the video so that other people like me can be helped, so that they can see they are not alone, that they can get help and that things can get better,” said Kaiden.
Cathryn Hampshire, centre manager of The Donkey Sanctuary in Leeds, said: “Donkeys are highly intuitive animals, able to sense subtle changes in their environment. They are able to share non-judgemental feedback in the way they communicate through their body language.
“While individuals can reflect on their own emotions and identify how they can develop life skills, the donkeys learn to trust people again and grow in their own confidence, so these programmes are a real win-win experience for everyone involved.”
Nicola Binns, EMERGE associate practitioner and staff clinical governor, said the visits to the sanctuary have helped the service’s clients “grow in confidence, engage more and learn how to build trust in themselves and others”.
“Many find comfort in the calm and accepting presence of the animals. It’s great for slowing down and helping us be more in the present,” she said.
“I have a heart-warming story for every time I visit the sanctuary with my service users, because something will always happen that is another positive experience. The donkeys seem to have a natural ability to help people develop social and emotional skills. Seeing the difference in our service users who have been on a donkey-assisted activity programme at the sanctuary is utterly amazing.”
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