OUR SUPPORT
Can we have an intro sentence here?
Our support helps young dads to address challenges and issues which prevent them from playing an active and manful role in their lives. We look to work with each young man on a voluntary basis and not due to the requirement of other agencies.
“It’s the only time I feel normal when I’m out on the bike with the lads”
Young Dad
“It’s the only time I feel normal when I’m out on the bike with the lads”
Young Dad
The way to bring about change is to be proactive and active.
We provide exciting group activities where young men can share experiences and create peer support networks. Our activities are free, regular and organised by our young dads. These activities have included both one-off activities, training and education programs, family offers and long term engagement groups. Such offers have included; cycling, football, paddle-boarding, outdoor skills, arts-based programs, soft play days and family training days.
We understand that young men facing fatherhood struggle to maintain peer support groups and are often left socially isolated, vulnerable and lonely. Our regular activities look to build engagement opportunities, these include; (in each text box is a little info about the groups and how to get involved.)
“I love a NEYDL family day, my boy never wants to leave”
Young Dad
“I love a NEYDL family day, my boy never wants to leave”
Young Dad
Individual Support;
From experience we know that the vast majority of young men want to play an active, rich and meaningful role in their children’s lives. But despite the best of intentions, young men often face significant hurdles which prevent them from doing so, including financial hardship, relationship breakdown, social care proceedings, unemployment, school exclusion and homelessness. Alongside our group work we provide 1-2-1 support to work with young men in a personalised and individual manner.
This work has included;
- Addressing loneliness and social isolation
- Developing and practicing parenting skills
- Improving relationship skills
- Building new friendships, meeting other young dads and developing new interests
- C.V. writing and help to return to work, education or training
- Re-establishing contact with a child or re-negotiating current child-contact arrangements
- Applying for benefits and completing others forms and paperwork
- Advocacy in Child Protection and Child Safeguarding processes relating to their child
- Support to understand and address domestic abuse concerns (where the young man was identified as either the victim or abuser)
- Advocacy in Family Law and Mediation processes relating to their child
“For the first time I’ve talked to someone, and they listened to me and not judged me for thinking that way”
Young Dad
“For the first time I’ve talked to someone, and they listened to me and not judged me for thinking that way”
Young Dad
Head Office – where we are
North East Young Dads & Lads Project
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts
South Shore Road
Gateshead
NE8 3BA
Doug Laidlaw (Senior Project Worker)
© 2018 NEYDL
Registered in England
Charity No: 1172924
Company No: CE009920