What is a Fathers Matter Connect Group?

The aim of the Fathers Matter Connect Groups is to get groups of men in a workplace, social club, local church, or from any other context, to support one another as fathers, or father figures, and to provide them with useful information, resources, and discussion materials.

The Connect Group initiative is a peer-to-peer mentoring and accountability project – not a complete course on how to be a better father. It has been created to:

Cultivate the belief that fathers matter to the same extent as mothers.
Help men feel motivated to be better fathers.
Encourage more men to mentor other men to be better fathers.
Motivate the members to support and encourage each other as fathers outside of the group sessions.

What does a Fathers Matter Connect Group look like?

A Fathers Matter Connect Group is a group of men who meet on a regular basis to talk, share and support each other.

Heartlines will provide resources that can be used to guide and inform your group.

We suggest that groups have around six to eight people in them. Smaller groups can also work but for larger gatherings where there are more than eight men, we recommend you divide into smaller groups. WhatsApp can be a useful platform for Connect Groups to meet virtually if it’s not possible to meet in person.

Groups can include people with existing relationships, but there is great value in a group that is made up of men of different ages and backgrounds. That way, younger fathers can learn from the wisdom of more experienced fathers. A group can also include yet-to-be fathers, single fathers, etc.

What to expect from the Fathers Matter modules

There will be a number of modules available for Connect Groups to work through together. Each module will have between four and five sessions. You should set aside about 1 to 1.5 hours for each session.

Module 1 is where you should start.

After that, you and your group can choose which module to do next, depending on the specific needs of your members. The first module explores the idea: “Yes, fathers matter – here’s why.”

Each session in the first module includes:

An icebreaker (typically light and fun, a simple way to get to know each other).
Setting the scene (a short summary or story to set the context for the session. The facilitator can read directly from the resource or adapt the story to suit the group).
Video/s.
Questions to guide a conversation/story-sharing.
Reflection, affirmation and scripture/prayer time – for Christian groups.
Action point or tip.

These are the topics covered in the Connect Group modules:

Module 1: Fathers Matter Core Module

Session 1: Why fathers matter
Session 2: Understanding our own father stories (Part 1)
Session 3: Understanding our own father stories (Part 2)
Session 4: What is a father?
Session 5: The father I want to be

Upcoming modules include:

Bridging relational difficulties (in your fathering)
Fathering in the first 1000 days
How culture and context impact your fathering
Fathering a child of 3-6 years
Fathering a child of 7-11 years
Fathering teenagers
Fathering young adults

Connect Group Facilitator's Toolkit

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