Horizon Community Funds and the NKyTribune are partnering to help you understand the rich community of nonprofits serving Northern Kentucky. This is part of an on-going series.
Across rolling green slopes in Verona, the gentle giant horse Goliath munches on clover. Bentley the goat bounces around, looking for snacks. The alpacas, Silas and Tongabeezy, enjoy the fields and sunshine before they are led into the barn, where Fiona the pig also rests and slurps down water.
The other horses, including stunning thoroughbred Gallatin Kid, take their places in the pastures, also taking in the green grasses and clover.
Sometimes it takes more than a classroom setting to create a learning environment. Sometimes it takes more than an office building to offer a safe place for shattered families to reconnect. Sometimes our teachers and facilitators are best met outdoors. Sometimes these teachers and facilitators are horses, alpacas, and goats.
Through a series of seized opportunities, legendary jockey and Boone County native Steve Cauthen’s former thoroughbred training facility was purchased to be the new home of New Day NKY. For years, New Day NKY has specialized in equine assisted therapies, along with alternative and traditional therapeutic programs for groups and individuals of all ages and abilities. Programs at the nonprofit include family therapy, grief or loss intervention, multi-sensory equestrian learning activities, therapeutic horsemanship, and much more.
A large part of New Day NKY’s programming is nurturing the potential in at-risk youth and students. While the direct work takes place in caring for and learning from the animals, there is tremendous synergy in the work that builds vocational skills. Young people who visit New Day NKY see great success in building cognitive and social-emotional behavioral skills, as well as communication, leadership, teamwork, and other skills that are critical to success in any workplace.
As Beth Long and her team continue to physically build out their new home on the nearly 125 acres of land, they keep a careful eye out for additional partnerships that will help build the vocational component of the program. Beth acknowledges that, too often, troubled youths need additional support and encouragement to help them succeed as adults. She envisions New Day NKY as a resource that directly connects these youths to career opportunities that will help them reach their full potential.
Keep your eye on New Day NKY as they continue to grow. More about their programs and certifications can be found at http://newdaynky.org, and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
