Fathers Matter
Fathers Matter is a campaign of Heartlines, the Centre for Values Promotion, that uses the power of stories to support the positive and active role of fathers or men in the lives of children. The Fathers Matter initiative celebrates and supports active, present, and positive fatherhood. The Films and Connect groups are an excellent resource to achieve the goals of positive fatherhood.
Fathers Matter Promo Video Clip
Getting Started with the Father's Matter
For men's groups, two primary resources are available: the "Fathers Matter Films" and a "Connect Group" module. To begin, visit the Heartlines website to access the course materials. You will need to sign up for free to access the online courses. Alternatively, you can download the course materials and the video clips from the Heartlines YouTube page to facilitate the groups offline. The links to the resource pages are provided below.
6 Fathers Matters Films
The series comprises six films, each set in a different context across South Africa. Each short film delves into the complexities of fatherhood and highlights the relationships people have with their fathers in contemporary South Africa, where many children grow up without their biological fathers. Additionally, Heartlines has created discussion guides to accompany the films. These guides can be used in various contexts, including corporate settings, social groups, sports clubs, and churches.
Access the Films resource page here
Connect Group Resources
Heartlines is committed to tackling the problem of father absence in South Africa through its Fathers Matter programme. This initiative features Connect Groups, where fathers can come together to engage in discussions and activities. The programme offers a variety of modules for these Connect Groups to explore.
Access the Connect Group resource page here
How to Start a Connect Group
Starting a Connect Group involves five simple steps:
1. Ensure you have internet access to utilize the Connect Group resources. You can use the Heartlines online courses, which are organized into sessions.
2. Familiarize yourself with the Facilitator's Toolkit to prepare for leading your group.
3. Gather a group of six to eight men who are committed to participating in this process with you.
4. Based on your group members, decide whether to start with the Christian core module or a more general core module.
5. After completing the core module, your group can decide together whether you would like to continue meeting and which module to pursue
Facilitators Toolkit
The following is the outline of Module 1. You can register to do the course online by following the above link, or you can download the modules and the videos from the Heartlines YouTube page to do it offline, or use it to facilitate a group.
Christian Core Module 1
The first module is the core module, serving as the foundation for the programme. From there, your group can choose additional modules when available, to complete based on their interests.
Lesson 1: Why Fathers Matter (Sample Video Clip)
Lesson 2: Understanding our own father stories (Part 1) (Video clip available)
Lesson 3: Understanding our own father stories (Part 2)
Lesson 4: What is a father? (Video Clip available)
Lesson 5: The father I want to be (Video Clip available)
Upcoming Modules (not yet available)
Module 2:
Bridging relational difficulties (in your fathering)
Module 3:
Fathering in the first 1000 days
Module 4:
How culture and context impact your fathering
Module 5:
Fathering a child of 3-6 years
Module 6:
Fathering a child of 7-11 years
Module 7:
Fathering teenagers
Module 8:
Fathering young adults