Frequently Asked Questions
Are your campuses wheelchair accessible?
The majority of our current locations are wheelchair accessible. Some campuses like Dakabin, Mackay, and Hobart have areas that may be difficult to access for wheelchair users, but our amazing team is available to assist.
What is the price of the program? Can I get a quote for your program?
The cost of the program depends on the course you select and the frequency of attendance chosen. Our programs are tailored to our participants, so our friendly Enrolments team will be able to discuss a detailed cost breakdown with you.
Does HPHH run through the school holidays/public holidays/lockdown?
Happy Paws Happy Hearts runs through school holidays. However, it does not run on public holidays. All participants will be made aware if in-person attendance is suspended for any reason including COVID-19 lockdowns.
Can I attend on a fortnightly basis?
HPHH enrolment and invoicing are based on weekly attendance. If you can’t make it to your shelter session at any time, HPHH Online is a 'paw-some' virtual tool that provides a platform so you don’t miss out. You can access the app anytime, anywhere using your mobile device or computer. You can watch videos to gain additional knowledge about your favourite topics. Join the weekly livestream hosted by the HPHH trainers and meet fellow HPHH participants from other sessions and some of our special guest animals at different shelters. If you are feeling anxious about attending in-person, HPHH Online is a great way to ease your anxiety as it gives you an idea of what to expect prior to coming onsite.
Do you have after-school or weekend sessions?
Weekend sessions are now running at HPHH campuses in Wacol and Darwin. You may enquire with our friendly Enrolments team about joining these sessions.
Likewise, if you are specifically interested in other locations, please let them know so that they can collect this information to be considered for future planning of sessions.
Enquire about weekend sessions
Is Happy Paws Happy Hearts an NDIS-registered provider?
We are not an NDIS registered provider, however, our programs can be accessed using NDIS funding.
Am I allowed to bring my support animal/service animal to HPHH?
Happy Paws Happy Hearts programs involve working with many different animals in-session. Therefore, we do not allow service or support animals in session or on our premises so that the RSPCA animals, participants, volunteers, and staff members can be kept safe.
While we understand that support animals are trained to work in social environments, some of the animals we work with have had complex lives and can experience stress when exposed to other animals in-session.
Can I attend HPHH with a support worker? Can my client attend with a support worker? Do I have to attend with a support worker?
All HPHH participants have the option of attending with a support worker or person (guardian, parent, or family member) if their support workers are playing an active role in their attendance to the HPHH program. This can vary from providing transport to the program and allowing a participant to complete activities independently, to a support worker assisting their client in conducting activities and ensuring they are safe and happy within sessions.
HPHH aims to promote the autonomy of a participant alongside their support worker. There are guidelines for all support workers attending that must be followed. Our intake staff and trainers can provide these. Participants who do not require a support worker do not need one to attend the HPHH program.
How do you track the progress of participants?
Outcomes Star is a measurement tool that tracks your progress across various areas of your life as a result of attending our programs.
Why do we use Outcomes Star?
Highlights areas of improvement for you.
Provides us with beneficial information to assist in altering our programs for you and our shelter animals.
Allows us to compare how our organisation is tracking compared to other NDIS providers that also use their tool.
What is the difference between being a participant and a volunteer?
Participants at HPHH attend via an onboarding process and pay a fee-for-service, funded either by their NDIS plan or private funds.
Volunteering at HPHH is task-based and works to assist the participants, transport animals to and from sessions, and complete cleaning tasks with the trainers. Volunteers are required to complete an orientation day and commit to specific shifts, which are of similar length to the HPHH courses. A requisite for volunteering at HPHH and/or RSPCA is that the volunteer has the ability to work independently without the aid of a support worker.
Some of our participants do end up volunteering with HPHH or RSPCA once they finish their course. While we strive to assist participants in reaching their goals, we cannot guarantee that all participants will become RSPCA or HPHH volunteers.
If I can’t make it to my session timeslot one week, am I able to attend another session to make up for it?
Unfortunately, the HPHH program is unable to cater for swap or makeup days in the shelter.
If you can’t make it to your shelter session at any time, your enrolment in the program provides access to our HPHH Online app. This is a ‘paw-some’ virtual tool that allows you to watch videos, learn about your favourite topics, catch up on anything you missed during the week, and join the weekly livestream hosted by HPHH trainers.
HPHH Online is also a great way to get a feel for the program if you are feeling anxious about attending in person.