copyright 2011-2012 Urban Light Ministries Incorporated ~  515 Yellow Springs ~ Springfield, Ohio 45506 ~ Phone: 937.328.0122 ~ Fax: 937.322.1610

Ohio Commission on Fatherhood Funds 8 Programs in Ohio
On January 9, 2012, The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood (OCF) announced that they had awarded eight fatherhood programs grants of $75,000 for two years.  The 2012-2013 Ohio Commission on Fatherhood Grantees are Talbert House,Charisma Community Connections, Columbus Urban League,Urban Light Ministries, Action for Children, Light House Youth Services, WSOS Community Action, and HARCATUS.These awarded programs are located throughout Ohio and have been serving fathers for three years or longer.

OPNFF is publishing a 4 part newsletter to help our members throughout the state learn about these funded programs.  In our first issue, we are highlighting two grantees in the northwest and western part of the state, WSOS Community Action Center in Fremont and Urban Light MInistries in Springfield.  

WSOS Community Action, Fremond, Ohio (serving Wood, Sandusky, Ottawa and Seneca Counties)
WSOS Communiity Action received funding for its Very Important Padre program. WSOS is dedicated to creating opportunities that will help our community and all of its members build a better future. We help individuals and families to acquire the skills and knowledge to become self-sufficient and to more fully participate in our community. We achieve this by developing projects and partnerships that allow people to help themselves.

 

The goal of the Very Important Padre program is to strengthen ties among fathers and their children. “Very Important Padre” is a program for all fathers from all walks of life. All fathers are eligible and targeted for the program: expectant, custodial and non-custodial dads.  In addition, the agency places a special focus on recruiting and serving re-entry dads.

The 24/7 Dads curriculum is used for all community fathers participating in the program. The Inside Out Dads curriculum is used during special groups for fathers in the local county jail.  Participants needing job training and additional supportive services are co-enrolled in WSOS federally funded Responsible Fatherhood program (click here for more information on the federally funded WSOS Fatherhood Connections program). WSOS’ VIP program was also funded in the last Ohio Fatherhood Initiative funding cycle, 2009-2011 and served 205 Dads through the program in that grant period

Very Important Padre services include:

  • One-on-One meetings
  • Case Management
  • Community Referrals
  • 24/7 Dad Programming 
  • Parenting Education 
  • Community Volunteering
  • GED Prep.
  • Employment Services
  • Financial Planning
  • Family Supportive Services

Urban Light Ministries, Springfield, Ohio (Clark County)
Urban Light Ministries received funding for The POPS Project. The POPS Project is a pioneering, multi-faceted plan that will combine introductory responsible fatherhood training (POPS 101) with a series of monthly community-based and school-based father/family activities. For ongoing support and community engagement, participants will be encouraged to become members of the POPS Club. POPS Clubs are volunteer associations of fathers, grandfathers, and father-figures for long term peer support and community service opportunities.

The fathers will be referred to community programs for continuing development through comprehensive parenting, job skills, educational, and other training. Urban Light Ministries (ULM) will offer Nurturing Fathers classes. Marriage Resource Center of Miami Valley is lead entity for The Commitment Project (a federal Healthy Marriage grantee) and will participate in the proposed initiative with Urban Light by accepting referrals from the POPS Project to The Commitment Project, which offers a variety of services for fathers. Services include On My Shoulders, a responsible fatherhood and healthy relationship program provided by ULM. Also, offered are case management, job placement, and more. The Commitment Project will participate in coordinating services for common participants and by submitting referrals of eligible fathers to the proposed program.

Participants will remain connected to the Fatherhood Initiative and with peer fathers beyond the grant period through membership in the POPS Club. These complementary programs are a part of the overall Clark County Fatherhood Initiative which benefits from the guidance of the Clark County Fatherhood Commission.

Participants will be eligible for monthly father/family community-based activities. POPS 101 is an innovative three-session responsible fatherhood introductory program to be offered at the new Family Academy and other community locations. Family Academy is a new inventive program of the Springfield City School District designed to strengthen family academic support of children.
POPS 101 is conceived as an easy onramp to the responsible fatherhood programs and services available in the region by Clark County Fatherhood Initiative partners. This orientation will prepare them for enrollment in Nurturing Fathers and On My Shoulders classes.

 

POPS Project activities will take place in various locations, both indoors and outdoors. Activities will bring fathers together so they will have opportunities to network, build friendships, and thereby become aware that they are not in the struggle alone.  The isolation that stems from living in poverty will begin to be replaced with a greater sense of community. Importantly, program staff will be able to observe the interactions of fathers and their children and thereafter offer specific parenting and relationship guidance. Staff will maximize every opportunity to encourage participants to continue developing skills and attitudes for male nurturance by enrolling for additional fatherhood classes that are offered by Clark County Fatherhood Initiative partners.

Parent Support Clinics are held monthly. These are one-hour sessions with participants and staff from Children Services, Child Support, and WorkPlus. In these sessions, POPS Project participants get their questions answered about visitation, arrearages, paternity establishment, custody, putative registry, etc. Fathers gain insight for navigating agency and court systems. All program participants will take a pre-test assessment upon entering the program.  Those completing the POPS 101 Introduction to Responsible Fatherhood class and Nurturing Fathers program will complete a post-assessment.

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