1. Tell us about the difference this grant is making to your organisation or project? How well are you meeting your targets? If the targets are not being met, please explain why?
Project Aims
EPIC Dad brings a specific focus on fathers and father figures and their key role in helping towards their children’s well-being and development.
Our work covers the following three areas:
1) Wellbeing Support 2) Parenting Support 3) Family Support
Project Activities
Wellbeing Support
(1) Wellbeing Walks (one-to-one or group walks) (2) One-to-one Mentoring (including signposting to other relevant support)
Parenting Support
(1) Fatherhood Preparation Course (EPIC Dad Survival Course including a free EPIC Dad Survival Kit – a backpack filled with items for the new dad and their new baby) (2) Dads Matter Courses (provided as a group or one-to-one)
Family Support
(1) Dads and Children’s Clubs (fun activities encouraging quality time between dads and their children) (2) Delivery of Baby Packs and Family Bags of Fun (practical items to support families)
At present we have engaged with, and are supporting, 6 dads and their families who live in the Growing Minds areas. We have received referrals from the dads themselves, Growing Minds partner organisations, and other family support services.
We have focused on one-to-one wellbeing and parenting support with these dads and have encouraged them to attend parenting courses and dads and children’s clubs that we are offering.
We have ran parenting courses one-to-one, over Zoom or in person. Also, we have ran dads and children’s clubs at our EPIC Centre in Risby, near Bury St Edmunds, and at Bury St Edmunds Library.
We have made a strong link with Little Acorns Nursery on the Howard Estate and are planning a special dads and children’s session at the nursery in June near Father’s Day.
We are also building a connection with West Suffolk Vineyard Church on the Mildenhall Estate and hope to work together in offering play sessions for dads and children and possibly other groups for dads too.
We have also visited Home-Start family groups on St Olave’s Ward to promote to families the support being offered to dads through the Growing Minds Project.
We will soon be offering our new 5 part Wellbeing Course to dads and our practical parenting session, Fatherhood Explored Workshop.
We have not supported as many fathers and father figures as we would like but understand that our service will not be appropriate or relevant to all families if for example there is a single mum where the dad is not involved. We are grateful for our project partners who have kindly promoted EPIC Dad services to mums they are working with, but this has led to only a few referrals of dads interested in receiving additional support.
We are optimistic that we will be able to engage with more dads in the coming months with the help of links with local nurseries and churches.
2. What practical outcomes has the project or organisation producing? We would like to know about any disappointments as well as successes and any unforeseen benefits. What are the key lessons being learning?
Project Outcomes
1) Men Supported
Men have received wellbeing support through one-to-one support, wellbeing walks, etc. which has helped build their confidence as a dad.
2) Fathers Empowered
Dads have been strengthened in their fatherhood role through parenting courses and practical items to support them in their father-child relationship.
3) Families Transformed
Families have been encouraged to spend quality time together and our fun clubs have offered a positive environment for dads to proactively engage with their children through fun activities.
Even when we have not had the number of dads we would like engaging, the dads that have accessed support have greatly benefitted as have their families.
We are putting together another printed resource to go alongside our other resources and course materials, called ‘Making Memories’ (52 Fun Ideas for Family Activities). This booklet will help us further support fathers and families and inspire them to build strong relationships together.
We are also planning a Fatherhood Conference on Thursday 30th June and hope this will help to raise the profile of the importance of dads and male carers and how we can work together to effectively engage with them through our family support services.
