3. Who are Men at Work?
Working in partnership with/hosted by ShipShape
Health &Wellbeing Centre – offering further support
and activities
Newly emerged charitable organisation providing a
voluntary social care support service for Dads
City-wide coverage – includes Sheffield, South Yorkshire
…and whoever else can reach us!
Service developed by experienced frontline volunteers
and supported by MIND’s ‘Mental Health Support
Champions’ project
4. Men at Work Aims(1)
Men@W Vision Statement:
To provide comprehensive, all-round support for fathers
affected by family breakdown and loss of child-contact
With the provision of a 1 to 1, person-centred mentoring
service helping fathers overcome barriers to child-contact -
Information, advocacy and guidance service - helping fathers
‘navigate’ &understand complex family court/social care
processes and procedures;
Support for fathers addressing underlying problems &issues -
helping dads accept and adapt to a life living apart from the
family unit.
“A world where no child loses contact with their father”
5. Men at Work Aims(2)
Empower fathers to interact positively and proactively with their
children, new community and wider family support services -
Families gain strength/support from wider community.
Encourage/support fathers re-settling with lone-parent family/child
responsibilities seek and engage support from their new communities.
Address isolation, loneliness and depression and improve the
physical, mental and emotional health/well-being of lone-fathers,
hence their children -
1 to 1 ‘Motivational Interviewing’/peer-support techniques help fathers
manage life-changes arising from family breakdown;
Create culture of ‘peer-support’ and establish ‘Community of Identity’ -
*Social Café: community brought together by shared need/experiences;
Develop social & physical activities including fathers and their children.
Supported by ShipShape’s activities and ‘Activity Sheffield’ – referrals
via 1 to 1 support or through Social Cafe.
6. How (does) ‘Men at Work’?(1)
Therefore, development is shaped by environment and, in
turn, our environment has been shaped by us;
We are all products of, and participants in, our social
environment;
Men@W focuses on fathers’ (family’s) strengths as a way
of building on its weaknesses - resulting in improved
father-child relationships and contact.
Philosophical approach taken from ‘Ecological model’ –
A family-centred approach to social service delivery:
Environment – hence development, shaped primarily at
home and in the family, as well as education, work, etc.
7. How (does) ‘Men at Work’?(2)
Ultimate or real beneficiary is the child(ren)…
Men@W: see ourselves as facilitators and translators – our role is
to communicate between family (father) and other services -
‘Ecological’ Model (cont.)
What does court/the services require of the father/family and is this
realistically achievable?
What does father/family really want/need to achieve this? What is
really ‘going-on’ in the family? Is there an alternative?
Service-user (father) to be treated with respect and equality –
Dad is the real expert!
Helping fathers adapt and accept new roles and responsibilities ensures
children grow with the paternal relationships they need and desire.
Access to parenting education and ‘supported signposting’ for specialised
support helps fathers address difficulties - hence overcome any barriers to
continued child contact, post family breakdown.
8. Men at Work:
Future Developments
1 year anniversary: Men@W established as an ambitious, grassroots
organisation – sustained by ShipShape and Sharrow Community Forum.
‘Resource-funded’ through the ‘Health Champions’ project
Established referral pathways with strong network of statutory and VCF
supporting agencies - including probation, drug/alcohol support and
social services
Further develop monitoring &recording information, evidence
outcomes and seek further independent funding. Awaiting results of
B.L’s ‘Awards 4 All’ bid...!
Further develop in-house resources tailored to the needs of shared-
parenting fathers. Invest in social café to develop support network
meeting shared needs of lone-fathers and our children
9. Men at Work:
Future Developments (2)
Increase capacity with development of volunteer
programme. Encourage and enable beneficiaries to recruit
and become involved as volunteers or steering the group as
members
Become firmly established as a resource to both fathers and
children at large. After only 12 months, already established
new support service meeting the needs of this seemingly
‘overlooked’ and vulnerable group
10. Making Referrals:
Or by email to: relationship.breakdown4men@gmail.com,
with information about the father and his position.
Promote & explain what we do to potential beneficiaries – see
posters, leaflets, blog, etc. (See Ben afterward!)
Secure beneficiary’s permission to refer – referral forms
obtainable electronically or from Men at Work
Self-referrals – by direct contact to:
Secretary, Ben Rose - mobile: 07960 835 980
9a.m-5pm, Monday-Friday;
Darnall services, please contact Sachin Kirpane
– 07778 444 057;
Or through our hosts at ShipShape on: (0114) 250 0222.
Men@W service hours 1-5pm, Monday-Thursday
