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The New Dad Project
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Background
The New Dad Project is run by St. Michael's Fellowship in South London to enage with and support new or expectant young fathers. The project aim to identify the needs of young fathers and to work in partnership with them to achieve a positive transition in to fatherhood. In the last 12 months, the project has engaged with 110 (mostly African-Carribbean) young fathers under the age of 24. Whilst most young men currently participating are between 16-20, the project has also worked with four school-age fathers and is currently working with one 14 year-old father. Matthew Hay (project coordinator) says that most of these young men are engaged through the project’s strong links with antental services at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals.
'We reach these young fathers by having a presence at the ante-natal clinics – the screenings as well as the education classes ... we go where we know expectant young fathers are likely to be.'
Funded by Lambeth Children Centres until 2011, the New Dad Project is run by one project coordinator (Matthew Hay), one young fathers’ worker (Richmond Trew), and a number of young fathers themselves working as peer volunteers. The project works hand-in-hand with antenatal services (for young people) such that they are now an established and integral part of the local maternity services offered to young parents (mothers and fathers). Workers from the project attend the antenatal classes to make contact with the expectant father, run separate expectant father classes, and support the young father pre-and-post birth by phone calls, face-to-face contact, and offering written information and advice in the form of a ‘Welcome to Fatherhood’ pack. This pack also contains condoms, a baby blanket, young father calendar, nappies, and baby wipes to provide dads with their own resource.
Although keenley aware of the gender (including masculinity) issues around using sport to engage and retain fathers, the New Dad Project also runs ‘Little Dribblers’ (in association with Chelsea football club) which allows the new young father to continue to remain in contact with the project. Creche facilities are provided (if required), and activities are structured both around the young father and their child(ren):
'Initially young fathers used to play football themselves and often used the creche ... but this changed over time so that now the fathers play with their toddlers much more to the extent that we now plan acticities for the father and child to play together.'
Achievements
- In order to be seen as an essential part of maternity (antenatal) services, the New Dad Project has worked hard to raise their profile amongst midwives. Matthew Hay (Project Coordinator) reports that many midwives initially lacked confidence in engaging young fathers, partly due to a lack of experience in working with young men. Consequently, the project has run training sessions with midwives which has been crucial in changing the way young fathers experience ante-natal care by challenging some of the established ways of thinking and working with this marginalised group.
- Being innovative in engaging young fathers has also been a key factor in the retention of these young men. The New Dad Project has used numerous activities combined with a strong presence in various locations (including barber shops, antenatal clinics, little dribblers, gyms, record stores, and estate community centres). The positive imagery used in these settings (via a young fathers’ calendar) has been an important factor in raising the profile of the work, and reaching and engaging young fathers themselves.
- Working in partnership with Sure Start teen parent and pregnancy advisors has been vital to the success of the project.
- Involving young fathers themselves as peer volunteers has had an important impact on participation in the project as it can provide additional support that is difficult to obtain in other ways:
'Peer working is really important as the volunteers (young fathers) have had similar experiences to those attending the project ... they may have just gone through the exact same thing ... the impact of this is far more profound and has a much stronger impact than we can as project workers.'
Contact: Matthew Hay
New Dad Project coordinator
Tel: 0208 677 888
Email: matt@stmichaelsfellowship.org.uk
St. Michael’s Fellowship
Tel: 020 8677 6888
Web: www.stmichaelsfellowship.org.uk
St. Michael's Fellowship is a South London based independent charity that provides residential projects for vulnerable families (including accommodation), help and training for families where children are at risk, or where there is other emotional, mental or physical hardship.
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