2. Using the Guide
The Guide was tested through a pilot project of service providers engaged in a mentoring relationship to enhance father-inclusive practice, and is suitable for use as a stand-alone document.
The pilot project which was conducted by Urbis Pty Ltd, commenced in May 2007 and ran until March 2008. The pilot project aimed to build on the knowledge and skills of Family Relationship Services Program and Early Childhood Program service providers. Participants in the pilot project have provided their service profiles, which can be found at Attachment 2. These are intended to assist organisations who use the guide in the future to develop a sense of what types of organisations were involved in the pilot project and how the father-inclusive practices can be applied in different locations, including the workplace.
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach in applying father-inclusive practice in your organisation. This is mainly due to the varying demographics and service types of each individual organisation. Therefore the Guide will not provide you with all the answers, but instead it is designed to stimulate your thinking to help you and your organisation become more father-inclusive.
The Guide:
- outlines the essential elements of engaging and working with fathers and their families
- is strengths-based
- is designed to be practical and easy to use
- provides references to more comprehensive information on key issues
- is intended for broad use.
You can use this Guide either by moving through each section sequentially, or familiarising yourself with the key elements of father-inclusive practice before referring to the more detailed content material as required.
As the Guide is intended to support practitioners, some tools and interactive activities have been included. These are highlighted as:
- Skills toolboxes. These summarise key father-inclusive practice skills. Experience has shown that practitioners find self-assessment against each of these skills useful (ie. whether they have a high, medium or low skill level).
- Conversation boxes. These are reflective tools prompting thought on important issues and on your own practice. They have been found to help clarify effective approaches to father-inclusive practices.
- Tables. These are useful when planning tasks that are suggested in the Guide.
It is recommended that when using the Guide your organisation should establish an Action Learning group comprising key stakeholders and program staff. This will ensure a higher profile and greater ownership of the father-inclusive project. As the Action 12 Father-inclusive practice guide Learning group has key responsibility for the project it is more likely that optimum outcomes will be achieved.
If you choose to form an Action Learning group, the following questions need to be considered:
- How often will the Action Learning group meet?
- Regular facilitated meetings maintain focus and momentum–every 3-4 weeks recommended over the course of the project.
- How and who will document the project learning?
- Select a group member to document the process, issues, challenges and learning that emerges over the course of the project. Individual diaries and a record of meetings are important.
- Who is supporting this process–mentors, key stakeholders?
- Have you identified supporters of the project both within and external to the organisation that you are able to access? Mentors are also an important resource.
- What resources are required and what do you already have?
Complementary Material
The Introduction to working with men and family relationships guide was developed in partnership with Crisis Support Services Inc and complements this resource. It is an interactive and user-friendly tool for practitioners who are new to working specifically with male clients. It provides information for engaging with men across a variety of disciplines and provides some insight into the skills, challenges and best practice models currently being utilised both nationally and internationally in working with men.