The Real Deal - (MENBIZ)
COL EDUCATION FOR YOUNG MEN
Research shows that involved fathers have a positive impact on child and family well being.
Preconceptual reproductive health education has been traditionally offered to females. Even currently, it is too often the case that fathers learn about their roles/responsibilities as a new parent through trial&error and the media.
We know that parenting efficacy dips in adolescent parenting. In targeting the middle years of adolescence, we are supporting parents to actively build resilience in male teens, assisting them in making healthier relationship choices and recognising/appreciating the healthy traits of respect/consent, and understand ramifications of misunderstanding/abuse.
Low socioeconomic family groups can benefit from timely preconceptual information to assist with breaking the cycle of poor decision making often contributing to welfare dependency and ongoing poverty.
If men's needs are to be truly acknowledged and supported to enable them to take on an adequate supportive and nurturing role, they need adequate/appropriate preparation.
Youth and Family Education Resources (YFER) acknowledge and support the role of the male during pregnancy, birth and the early parenting period.
Consultation with men nationally has indicated:
- There is room for males to be even better represented in the provision of reproductive health education.
- YFER has the support and capacity to maintain best practice in expanding its programming to be more inclusive of male targeted education programming and resources
- The REAL DEAL program will continue to evolve by listening and responding to the needs young men and/or fathers related to:
- culture
- language
- literacy
- social / family background
The Real Deal program was recently allocated some seed funding through the Commonwealth Dept of Health -Child Youth Health strategy for a project to support ‘high risk’ young men, specifically about improving current health inequity across youth populations and young families within our country. YFER plans to enhance relationship & reproductive health literacy with timely and culturally safe information and improve health seeking behaviours amoungst this group.The journey to fatherhood can be positively supported to enablethem and their future children to enjoy equitable levels of physical, emotional, social and spiritual wellbeing as other members of Australian communities.
"By highlighting the ease with which pregnancy can occur (especially in this age group), and the magnitude of the changes to lifestyle and responsibility that becoming a parent entails, we are effectively delivering the educational aims that COL is committed to providing." Peter – Family Planning NT
YFER's team can work with communities and support them to develop and produce relevant appropriate teaching programs and resources for them to use in educating young/men in their community. This will contribute to building stronger healthier families & communities in the future.
"The Real Deal will assist our young men to feel empowered in providing support for their partners, children and their community. It will promote sound health and wellbeing messages to combat the high levels of chronic disease experienced by our people." Peter – Health Center Manager Binjari community NT
Supporting a young generation of Indigenous fathers/fathers-to-be to effectively walk in both worlds -cultural and mainstream, can only hope to strengthen their approach to fatherhood. The issue of inaccessibility to information becomes particularly prevalent when residing in rural/remote communities.
Be Strong Dad........... Be proud Dad.................Make a difference
YFER is actively seeking male facilitators throughout various sites in communities nationally. If you would like to become involved with THE REAL DEAL or want to know more please contact tracy@yfer.org.au or phone: 0400 026 056.
