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Resources For Dads - Manhood & Fathers

Manhood Online

Something’s happening. More and more men are starting to look at themselves in different ways. The change is not overwhelming but it is happening. For some time now, women have been active in freeing themselves. It’s time men did the same. We know of men all over the world who are discovering a masculinity that is protective and gentle, energetic and positive, open and self aware. A more exuberant and loving kind of man is emerging from old, uptight and distant models of the past. This Manhood lies in all men. And Manhood Online is dedicated to giving it a voice.

To this end, Manhood Online will provide a constant stream of inspiring stories about a wide range of men. We will feature quality articles, profiles and interviews falling under five general themes: Work and Education, Relationships, Fatherhood and Parenting, Health and Sexuality, and Spirituality. We will provide practical and helpful information on men’s services and support their development. We will encourage and facilitate the growth of men’s groups. Through a team of Specialist Advisers we will foster lively worldwide networks on specific issues as diverse as prisons and parenthood. We aim to provide a community where you can belong, contribute and be nourished.

We draw our inspiration from Steve Biddulph and his book Manhood which has touched the lives of so many people, both men and women, in such profound ways.

At its core, Manhood Online is about assisting men to do their inner and outer work - together. Without the inner work men risk becoming blundering fools; without the outer work, indulgent navel gazers. But with both, men become a force for good. And that’s why Manhood Online is committed to assisting men not only to deal with their grief, their sexuality, ideals, dreams, relationships and spirituality but also to participate fully and constructively in the workplace, the family and the community. It’s not about wallowing. Nor is it about whingeing and complaining. But it is about supporting women in their liberation, and avoiding a competitive frame of reference. In short, it’s about Better Men For A Better World.

At Manhood Online we value the many different voices speaking on men’s issues. We cannot speak for all men, or for the men’s movements as a whole, but we will publish material that supports men healing the pain - and freeing the potential - of all people, and all life, everywhere.

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Fatherhood Foundation

Website : www.fathersonline.org

Warwick & Alison Marsh with fellow Fatherhood Foundation Board Members, Geoff Moses, Michael Baker and Philip Latz are determined to help the children of Australia by empowering Australian men to become better fathers thus fulfilling the Fatherhood Foundation goal. Inspiration and education will help fathers in Australia rise above mediocrity to a greater level of excellence to become the "best dads in the world". The simple goal of the Fatherhood Foundation is to change Australia for the better - one father at a time.

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National Fatherhood Coalition

Website : www.fatherhoodcoalition.org.au

The Fatherhood Foundation is working with the Lone Fathers Association to form a National Fatherhood Coalition to facilitate a united voice by the fathers’ groups and the men of Australia. The National Fatherhood Coalition is a coalition of like minded but diverse groups who are working together to turn the tide of fatherlessness in Australia and to strengthen and support fathers for the sake of the greater good of all Australians, men, women and children.

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Pathways Foundation

Website : www.pathwaysfoundation.com.au

The award winning Pathways to Manhood program has been running in communities and schools around Australia since 1995. The aim of Pathways is to bring out the potential in young men and have them full of hope and inspiration as they look to the future.

The Pathways to Manhood program involves a five day camp attended by boys and their fathers (or an appropriate male mentor). It is a tremendous opportunity for dads to get together as a group, have some fun and do something special to honour the beginning of your son's journey into manhood.

The Pathways to Manhood programme was developed by men interested and concerned about the health and wellbeing of boys and young men in Australia. These men believed that a fundamental process acknowledging and assisting the healthy transition of boy to man was missing in modern Australian society and that this was significantly contributing to the well recognised problems amongst our young men.

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The MensWork Project

The MensWork Project is an incorporated not for profit action group who work to develop and fund projects that will strategically bring about awareness and positive change to issues related to men and boys.

An underlying principle of The MensWork Project is to seek and generate strategic actions that will make the biggest difference in informing the community of the many difficulties facing men and boys in our society. We provide services such as:

• Organise and manage specific events and enterprises.
• Provide funding to organisations and individuals that benefit the health and wellbeing of men and boys.
• Provide advice and support for projects with kindred organisations, government, agencies and individuals.
• Advocacy
• Training
• Fund raising
• Endorsement
• Design and deliver specific workshops for men and boys
• Promote Fathers Day awareness
• Promote high profile speakers on men’s issues

Sydney Men's Festival

The Sydney Men's Festival is a chance to talk, relax, participate in and run workshops with other men. The Festival is an annual event held at the end of January each year on the last full week of the school holidays. The Festival is open to all men regardless of colour, creed, religion, sexuality, profession or employment status.

The Sydney Men's Festival welcomes children (boys all ages and girls under 7).

Weekend Gatherings
Throughout the year weekend gatherings are held at the Minto Bush Camp to give men a taste of the Festival experience and to maintain contact with other men they have met at the Festival.

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Thanks Dad Photos - Thanking all men for positive time with our children

Thank dads and all men who have positive times with our children by entering their photo in the sixth annual Thanks Dad National Photo Competition. $100 cash prizes donated by from TP Health & Fletchers Fotographics. Entries close 25th August each year.

Five reasons to enter this year's Thanks Dad Photos National Competition:

1. Dads / men are delighted to be publicly affirmed.
2. Family relationships grow stronger. Less family and relationship breakdown.
3. Children and young people are less likely to be involved in risky behaviour
4. This is a free, positive, preventive community building activity that every Australian can enter.
5. You may even win a $100 cash prize.

Help us to thank Australian men for the positive times they have with our children.

Ring or write a letter or email to them now. Simply say "Thanks...........(their name as dad, grandad, uncle, sports coach, youth group leader, teacher or any male) for the positive time you have had with our children." Give them specific examples of what they have done for specific children or young people now or in the past. Encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same. Thank them on behalf of all of us.

Involve yourself, friends or colleagues in these ideas.

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Mensplace

Mensplace is a dedicated resource service to support and encourage the development of initiatives that assist men in their role as fathers and other family roles. We hope you will find information and resources to help you in your work with men. Our aim is to work together to help enrich the communities that we live in.

Mensplace is based in Western Australia.

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Men's Sheds

[www.mensshed.org/]

This website has been set up to encourage the transfer of information between members of Men's Sheds" or anyone else interested in the subject.

The Men's Shed website has two main sections:

1. A Discussion Forum.

This section covers all items other than the specific areas of "Start up", "Safety" and "Health" which have their own separate entries.

The information will primarily relate to the running of existing "Sheds" covering items such as:-

• Problems and how they were solved
  
• New techniques, Project ideas, Designs that worked
• Forthcoming events
• Other factors affecting the running of a "Shed

2. List of Mens Sheds in Australia.

In this section you can:

• View List of New Sheds and modifications
• Add Details of New Sheds or modifications to existing data

Valuing Fatherhood Project [SA] The VALUING FATHERHOOD PROJECT is funded through the Communities for Children Initiative as part of the Federal Government's Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. It is based based at the Murray Mallee Community Health Service, Murray Bridge, SA. Ph: [08] 8531 3944

Programs on Offer

"Me and my Dad" Play based activities and experiences with dads and kids together. It may include a playgroup for dads and kids where dads explore different ways of playing with their kids, starting with the things dads feel more comfortable with and moving towards the things dads find harder eg reading together. This might include varied activities with some more active and informal gatherings such as visits to a dairy farm, zoo, aboriginal walking trails, bush picnics, fishing and damper days etc.

"Dads Can Do"- This will involve local dads meeting together, developing ideas for community projects, making something together that will benefit themselves, their kids and the community. This is more than a working bee, it is a chance for Dads and kids to create together, connect with others, feel pride in their community and celebrate. Dads can do events would include a shared celebration with children (eg. BBQ, picnic, campfire etc) and photographs of the process would be displayed in the community. These events could do things like build a sandpit, a cubbyhouse, benches, bike track, plant trees, make vegetable garden etc. Dads can do it- yes they can!

"Being Dads"- explores ways of being a father through education programs (as requested) and story-telling. These may include bigger events with guest speakers (to dads alone or mixed audience of mums and dads), workshops specific to parenting and/or train the trainer programs. They may also include informal opportunities for Dads to dialogue about what it means to be a father and the challenges this brings. It may also include Parenting programs that are competency based and specific to child development and behaviour, respectful discipline, and parenting skills. These programs may be run in collaboration with Families SA who have families identified through mandatory reporting as being at risk.

Upcoming Programs

• Kite making and flying workshop
• Antenatal/Post natal education
• Footballers as dads day & auskick
• Dads Tucker Times(Kindergarten and childcare breakfasts)
• Poster/Photo/display project. (The adventure of fatherhood) Fathers as prisoners Post Release program (Re-connect)
• Dads support groups (Fatherhood Making it work)
• Aboriginal young fathers group(growing great Nunga dads)
• New Dads Group, Community workshops and celebrations

These services are being provided for the Murray Bridge, Mannum, Callington and Tailem Bend areas of SA.

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