Connect Group Resources
Are you a father, father-to-be, father figure or interested in becoming a father?
The Fathers Matter initiative celebrates and supports active, present and positive fatherhood.
These resources and courses have been designed for those interested in running a Fathers Matter Connect Group.
What is a Connect Group?
A Fathers Matter Connect Group is a group of men who meet on a regular basis to
talk, share and support each other.
Heartlines will provide resources that can be used to guide and inform your group.
Groups can include people with existing relationships, but there is great value in agroup that is made up of men of different ages and backgrounds. That way, younger fathers can learn from the wisdom of more experienced fathers. A group can also include yet-to-be fathers, single fathers, etc.
How do I start a Connect Group?
There are five steps you can take to get started with your Connect Group.
Step 1: You will need internet in order to use access the Connect Group resources.
You can use the courses that have all the content directly available on our site, grouped into sessions. To use the online courses, you'll need to sign up here for free first.
Otherwise, you can download the pdf versions of the resources and run them offline. The videos in the modules are available on our YouTube page.
Step 2: Read through the Facilitator's Toolkit in preparation for starting a group.
Step 3: Get together a group of between six to eight men who are willing to go through this process with you.
Step 4: Depending on who is in your group, start with either the Christian core module or the more general core module.
Step 5: When you've finished the core module, your group can decide together if you would like to continue meeting and choose which module to do next.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact our team at fathersmatter@heartlines.org.za
Jy kan ook die Connect Groep hulpbronne in Afrikaans kry
Our research identified a skills and information gap that fathers often experience on their fatherhood journey. The Fathers Matter WhatsApp platform was developed to bridge that gap by providing practical tips to fathers on how they can be more positively involved in their children’s lives at every life stage of their children’s journey.
Fathers can WhatsApp “Hi” to 060 058 2107 to access the tips.
If you're looking for more group-based content, why not browse through our discussion starters here.