Summer Farrelly is 14-year-old Autistic Advocate, Public speaker, Consultant, Artist, Innovator, Chicken Whisperer, Animal Assisted Learning Program creator, Animal Therapies LTD Ambassador, K9 Assistance Australia Handler in Training and Superhero of Change.

Chickens to Love was created in 2016 from Summer’s love and unique understanding of her chicken flock. From this vision, she created world renowned Animal Assisted Learning Program, using chickens to help autistic and neurodivergent people alike.

The program is designed to help people develop their understanding of social dynamics and cues, better understanding of their own and others emotions, better understand other’s perspectives, and how they can apply these skills to real life situations. The program has been created as a tool for participants to develop better coping skills, empowerment and confidence in social situations.

Summer has also written her program in such a way that it gives neurotypical people a bird’s eye view from an autistic perspective, bridging a gap and helping to create a better understanding of autism.

For the last 4 years Summer has been sharing her personal insight, and the benefits of human and animal connection. Often stepping out of her comfort zone sharing vulnerable, raw and real moments of life challenges faced by young autistic teens in hope to educate and inspire others.

Summer has become a recognised and valued contributor within the Animal Assisted Learning / Therapy platforms

Summer has recently started her journey as a junior handler with K9 Assistance Australia (K9AA) with her black Labrador Onyx. This partnership will provide strength needed to navigate life as an autistic teen who faces daily challenges of self-harm, anxiety, depression, trauma and self-regulation.

This journey with Onyx is about understanding herself emotionally through their connection, more importantly this journey is about learning self-care.

Summer has identified after talking to mature autistics that learning, and having the ability to implement self-care at a young age could lead to improvement in quality of life later on.

Summer is documenting her K9 Assistance Australia journey providing a different perspective (through an Autistic Lens) and a deeper insight in to animal and human connection through micro communication.

Chickens to Love is an animal-assisted learning program that has been created to help give insight and create an understanding from an autistic perspective. This program can be used by both Autistic and Neurodivergent people to assist in growing a stronger understanding of social dynamics, better understanding of their own emotions and emotions of others, understanding a multilayer of perspectives, identifying consent of touch, build resilience, self-acceptance, empowerment and how to advocate for one’s self.

Endorsed by a number of Australian leading health and therapy professionals, including Professor Tony Attwood.

This program gives a birds eye view from an autistic perspective, bridging the gap and creating more understanding.

Workshops

Summer is available to deliver focus workshops, and workshops about this program can be individually tailored to suit your individual or facilities’ needs, please contact us for bookings HERE

Kit

Kit available to purchase HERE