Let's do good together!
Father absence has risen to a crisis level. The U.S. Census Bureau states 19.7 million children in America, more than 1 in 4, live without a father in the home. This father factor is a major contributor in nearly all social issues facing America today. The cycle of father absence will continue to grow until our communities recognize the importance of fathers in children's lives and perceptions change.
Responsible Fathers diligently works to break the cycle by directly engaging fathers to learn responsible parenting skills, relationship skills, and economic self-sufficiency to build mutually supportive and long-lasting relationships with their children.
Responsible Fathers focuses to effect absent and at-risk fathers to bridge the divide between service and advocacy to cultivate communal self-awareness and grass-roots change.
When a boy is raised without his father or a male role model in his home, he grows up not knowing the role a father can and should take in his life. Therefore, when they become men and have children of their own, they do not have the knowledge or skills to be a responsible, committed, and engaged father. However, such skills can be learned with the right guidance.
Be a Mentor
Affect positive change through engagement with a father in your community by sharing your time, knowledge, and insights to help them understand and embody how a father can be a dad. As a mentor, you will be paired with a father to provide support, encouragement, and guidance. Meet one-on-one to discuss various topics like parenting, relationships, finances, goal-setting, etc. Each father has a unique story, needs, and areas of interest, which allows mentors and fathers to work together to accomplish meaningful goals.
Be a Facilitator
The Responsible Fathers' program is evidence-based and created to develop positive fathering mind-sets, knowledge, and skills of dads of all races, religions, ages, demographics, and backgrounds. An effective facilitator is one of the most important components for a successful fatherhood program. To be an effective agent for change, a facilitator learns the characteristics and skills needed to lead an excellent fatherhood program; including adult learning styles that affect how participants learn and engage, and how to properly prepare to effectively facilitate each and every session. Leading fathers through the Responsible Fathers' curriculum may be challenging at times, but it is very rewarding to see men transform from fathers into engaged and committed dads.