Connect Group Facilitator's Toolkit

This course is currently in a testing phase and we'd appreciate your feedback should you decide to engage with it. Please respond to our survey (which you can find online here) or email your feedback to fathersmatter@heartlines.org.za

Welcome! This course has been designed to equip facilitators and leaders to run a Fathers Matter Connect Group.

Globally, and in South Africa, not many people understand the importance of fathers being positively present and involved in their children’s lives. Everyone knows how valuable mothers are, but fathers aren’t always seen in the same way.

A father plays such an important role in a child’s development, emotional well-being, educational achievements and future productivity – and we see this in research and through people's personal experiences.

How many of our problems as a society would be reduced if children grew up with fathers who supported them, spent time with them, taught them and encouraged them? How many of our children would be more balanced, secure and well-adjusted?

But many children grow up without a loving and supportive father or positive male figure in their lives.

Heartlines is working to help change this through its Father Matter programme, part of which includes the Connect Groups described in this resource. This Facilitator’s Toolkit was developed for anyone wanting to run a connect group, be it in a Christian context, or a mixed group.