Families Project Awarded Grant To Run Support Services For young Dads
Alness and Dingwall Families Project has been awarded a grant by NCH’s Innovation Fund to take forward an innovative approach to delivering the Incredible Years Parenting Programme alongside a curriculum based on the Sports Leader award and sessions related to the promotion of healthy lifestyles and choices for young dads within the projects catchment area.
‘Young Dads On the Ball’ is a joint initiative between NCH Scotland, Healthways ( who are heavily supported by the The Highland Council and the Big Lottery Fund) and Ross County FC which will support targeted small groups of young dads through the ups and downs of parenting, building on their confidence as men and fathers.
Overall the initiative will look to improve adult-child relationships, improve and develop parenting skills and play experiences, raise awareness of child safety and risk, provide ideas for sharing as a family and so have fun together, increase self esteem and confidence to parent and to uptake a range of other services available to them and their families within their local community. In addition to this the initiative offers young dads the opportunity to increase their fitness levels and ability to make healthy choices by using the facilities of the Highland Football Academy, together with the expertise of the staff at Ross County Football Club and Healthways.
Susan Campbell Senior Practitioner, Alness and Dingwall Families Project said, "We are delighted to receive this grant from NCH. The grant will allow us to overcome the barriers associated with transport and crèche provision, to realise the full potential of partnership working. It allows us to explore this innovative approach to service delivery, undertake detailed evaluation and explore funding sources to make it a sustainable provision for young dads to enjoy in the future." One young dad who was involved in the initial pilot of the scheme stated " you get to learn things you didn’t know. You get to enjoy yourself and you learn skills you can pass on to your children"
The Innovation Fund has been set up to encourage NCH projects across the UK to develop and promote new and innovative ways to meet the needs of the children, young people and families that the charity helps.