Horses and At-Risk Youth: An Equine Facilitated Learning Program Focusing on Authentic Leadership Skill Development

Abstract

Interesting and innovative youth development programs are important to further youth education. Programs focused on developing leadership skills in youth, specifically at-risk youth, are important when thinking of the future of our communities. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the impact of an equine facilitated, authentic leadership program on at-risk youth. Youth participated in a three-day equine facilitated learning program based on authentic leadership with focus groups conducted three days before and three days after the program. In this article, we describe the development and methodology of the program and specific implications for practice.

Equine-Assisted Experiential Learning on Leadership Development

“…Equineassisted leadership development programs constitute a unique, eye-opening, and profound leadership learning and development experience. Although the workshops may be relatively costly (Koris, Alalauri, & Pihlak, 2017) and logistically difficult because they can only take place in rural and urban settings (Adams-Pope & Stedman, 2014), they motivate the participants by offering a new environment, an unusual challenge, immediate feedback and chances to practice skills learned right away (Meola, 2016). The findings of the present study are consistent with the claims of Bjönberg (2015) that equine-assisted learning may be the next frontier in experiential leadership development.…”

“…These findings verify that horse-assisted activities can help individuals develop leadership skills and thus contribute to leadership development. Previous research also suggests that participating in equine-assisted learning helps to teach leadership skills (Benson, 2012;Duff, 2010;Gibbons et al, 2017;Gunter et al, 2017;Kolzarek, 2001;Lyle & Schlamb, 2017, Mikulec & McKinney, 2014Pohl, 2006;Ridding, 2005) and authentic leadership skills (Adams, 2013;Adams-Pope & Stedman, 2014;Grootveld, 2015).…”

Use of Equine-Assisted Services to Improve Outcomes Among At-Risk and Indigenous Youth: A Scoping Review

“…Of the 27 studies, 17 (63%) were from the United States [20 records; 63%] ( 34 – 45 , 47 , 48 , 50 – 52 , 56 , 59 , 60 ), four (15% of studies; 13% of records) were from Canada ( 31 , 32 , 49 , 57 ), and six (22%) were from Australia [eight records; 19%] ( 24 , 33 , 46 , 53 – 55 , 58 , 61 ). No records (0%) from New Zealand met the final eligibility criteria.…”

“…The included studies used a variety of different methods. Eleven studies (41%) used only quantitative methods ( 24 , 35 , 36 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 45 , 47 – 50 , 56 , 60 , 61 ), 10 (37%) used mixed methods 1 ( 33 , 34 , 37 , 39 , 40 , 43 , 51 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 57 , 59 ), and six (22%) used qualitative methods only ( 31 , 32 , 38 , 46 , 53 , 58 ). Behavioural assessment tools were used by all quantitative studies, which relied solely on these tools for data collection, and all mixed method studies, though one (4%; 10% of mixed method studies) also used surveys for quantitative data collection ( 54 ).…”

“…Four studies (15%; 40% of mixed method studies) did not use interviews. Of these, one used only behavioural assessments and participant observation ( 33 ), one used behavioural assessment tools, participant observation and focus groups ( 40 , 59 ), another also used surveys in addition to these methods ( 43 ), and the fourth used only participant observation as the qualitative measure ( 52 ). Most qualitative studies ( n = 4, 15%; 67% of qualitative studies) used only individual interviews ( 38 , 46 , 53 , 58 ), though two (7%; 33% of qualitative studies) also used participant observation in addition to interviews ( 31 , 32 ).…”