Dads. Their kids. Coffee. And maybe a playground. A simple formula that provides new fathers with the connection and support they desperately need.
The only qualification is that you identify as a new or expecting father or a father figure. Simon Hastings, Founder of Ksafekids and CEO of Katrina’s Sparkle Inc started up the Geelong Dads group last year and it now has 75 members. Simon tells us more.
“It’s a great way to connect and have a chat. As an expecting dad that moved to a new area with my fiancée Amanda, 1 month before Alby (my son) was born, I found it both confronting and challenging not having other dads around to share stories and experiences with”. “I reached out to the organisation Dads Group and after learning more about their ethos of changing fatherhood for the better and connecting dads in community I decided to start one up in Geelong”. It has been a great way to connect with dads and make mates in the area.
“In response to COVID-19 and in partnership with our mates at Movember Dads Groups has had to change the way in which we catch up and has gone online”. Every day at 10am you can have a chance to connect with other Dads across your local community, State and Australia”. Quite regularly we have a handful of dads from Geelong on there.
The group Zoom session can be found here https://www.dadsgroup.org/
There are around 70 groups Australia wide and the Dads love it. 100% of new dads surveyed said they would recommend becoming a member of a Dads Group to other new fathers.
We featured a story on Simon at the end of last year. He and family founded K’Sparkle, a registered charity, as a legacy to Katrina (his sister that passed away unexpectedly when she was 31 and the mother to a 4 ½ month old child.) One of the programs they offer is Ksafekids which is aimed to create a safer place for kids through running basic first aid training that empoweres and educate carers of young children.
“Dads and grandparents are often the ones who benefit the most from this course. I can see it being of benefit to Dads groups too. To fund this initiative, we deliver 1st Aid Training and 100% of the profits are used to deliver funded Ksafekids courses in the community.” To find out more information email simon@ksafekids.org.au or follow this link.
Simon is a paramedic currently works in the Community Co-responder Responder program at Ambulance Victoria
Story: Jacqui Bennett. Photo: supplied
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