Parenting Focus

Parenting Focus work across Northern Ireland supporting and championing the role of parents. Their Ideas Fund work has focused on their “Dads' minds matter” project, co-developing ways of supporting men to have conversations about wellbeing, including their successful Empathy Tent.

The project recruited and trained volunteer dads to engage with other local fathers to identify issues and facilitate programmes to support each other’s mental wellbeing. The project worked with a researcher to train a group of dads to become peer researchers who were then able to gather information about the needs and interests of others in a similar position to inform the approach. By offering a supportive and collaborative environment, the project is improving the confidence and skills of dads in the local area and highlights the positive force they are in the lives of their children and wider community.

Over the next phase, they will continue to collaborate with an independent researcher, further exploring ways to support men and developing a Lobbying Action Learning group from within the men involved to advocate for work with men and dads, drawing on their learning and approaches.

Find out more about Parenting Focus