Mission
To assist men in becoming the instinctive, responsible, & nurturing fathers they desire to be. While also, educating the general public on the unique, important, & essential role that Fathers play in the development of their children.

Scope of Services
Provide a classroom curriculum that develops the attitudes and skills needed for responsible fatherhood and helping men discover and cultivate their nurturing potential. Assistance with issues regarding child support, visitation, and family law matters, ultimately advocating for policy change/implementation that make these very areas more father friendly.

Partners
Columbus Urban League’s (CUL) - African-American Male Initiatives (A.A.M.I.)
Columbus Urban League’s Head Start
Ohio Commission on Fatherhood (OFC)
Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency (FCSEA)
Ohio Practitioners Network of Fathers & Families (OPNFF)
Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Family & Volunteer Services)

Target Audience
Class Curriculum – ‘Nurturing Father’
African-American fathers between the ages of 16-35 referred by CUL Head Start, Franklin County Child Enforcement Agency & Juvenile Court System. There will be a dual class format (One AM – One PM) on 3 month cycles. Each class will consist of 12-15 fathers giving us the ability to serve 100 fathers per calendar year.

Public Awareness/Advocacy –
General Columbus community

Location
Columbus Urban League
788 Mt. Vernon Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43203

1st Floor Conference room

Programming Times & Dates
Group I – Tuesday evenings 6pm – 8:30 pm
Group II – Thursday mornings 10am – 12:30 pm

Session Intervals –
January 8th - March 27th, 2008
April 1st - June 19th, 2008
July 1st - Sept. 18th, 2008
Sept. 23rd - December 18th, 2008

* One on One coaching available by appointment on Mondays & Wednesdays.

Class Instruction (Topics Covered – Nurturing Father Curriculum)
I. Roots of Fathering - Natural Necessity (Revenge of the Elephants)
II. Self Nurturing Skills I: Fathering – ‘The Little Boy Within’
III. Self Nurturing Skills II: Power to Meet My Own needs
IV. The World of Feelings & Male Nurturance
V. Power to Nurture: Fathering W/Out Violence or Fear
VI. Overcoming Barriers: Anger, Alcohol/Other Substances, Stress, Joblessness, Intergenerational Learnings, & Institutional
VII. Discipline, Fun, & Games
VIII. Playshop: Fun & Games for Fathers & Their Children
IX. Nurturing Relationships I: Fathering Sons / Fathering Daughters
X. Nurturing Relationships II: Teamwork between Father & Spouse / Co-Parent (Open to the Female Counterpart)
XI. A time & Place for Fathering
XII. Healing the Father Wound
XIII. Graduation Celebration & Closing Activity (Group I & II together)

The Head Start Project
Understanding that Fathers are easiest to engage during the first few years of their child’s life, and are more likely to stay in that child’s life if they are deemed valuable to the development of their children, we will be partnering with CUL’s Head Start program to increase the involvement of Fathers in the HS centers by;

New Father ‘Boot Camp’ – Bi-Monthly
Held at Children’s Hospital, this will be a 1-day workshop for new and expectant fathers teaching them the skills of caring for the health and safety of his infant or toddler, as well as, the roles and responsibilities they face as new Fathers in the community.

Fathers will learn how to use basic medical knowledge to enable them to handle the majority of medical situations that may arise as their children grow. Certified healthcare professionals, health educators, or other qualified persons from Children’s Hospital will teach this portion of the interactive workshop.

Additionally, Fathers will be educated about the key role they play in the development of their children and the necessity of them to stay involved in that child’s life. They will receive an abbreviated version of what it means to be a ‘Nurturing Father,’ as they discover the true meanings of Fatherhood, and appreciation of the Father/Child bond.

1-Day Parenting Workshops
To be held by invitation throughout the community, these 1-day workshops will have the intention of communicating to both fathers and mothers the importance of the role fathers play in the development of their children, as well as, the need for shared parenting and cooperation. Topics will include:

Evaluation / Measurability
A program evaluation is provided along with the Nurturing Father Curriculum. It provides members with the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings about their experiences in the program.