2011 Lozier Award Nominations

Congratulations to this year's recipients of the Fernand Lozier Award of Excellence in Father Involvement Practice.

 

 

Gary Glover

Gary Glover has gone to great lengths to provide needed men's services in Lanark County.  Gary is the co-facilitator of the Father's Peer Support Group, also know as the "Dads Program".  The program is a joint effort between Lanark Health and Community Services' Connections and Open Doors for Lanark Children and Youth.  The Dads Progam does not have secure funding.  Gary has gone to great lengths to keep the program alive.  Whether its flipping burgers at a fund raiser or filling out grant applications, Gary has been keeping Dads going since June of 2006.  The last several years have been exceptionally busy for Gary as he has been running the Group while earning his BSW from Carleton University.  He is the expert on services for men in Eastern Ontario as this is the topic of his MSW thesis currently underway.  Gary also facilitates the Leeds Grenville Rehabilitation and Counciling Services' STOP program for men with anger management issues. In June of 2010 Gary organized the first Dad's Day Drum Circle in Smiths Falls attended by dads from the Community. Gary has played an important role helping fathers (and helping fathers help fathers) get to where they need to be to have time with and be involved with their kids. Gary has demonstrated a long and great commitment to being a “Dadvocate” and a role model the fathers of Lanark County.

Canadian Families and Corrections Network

Canadian Families and Corrections Network is a non-profit organization that supports families who are experiencing incarceration. Using a Restorative Justice approach, CFCN focuses on healing the harm caused by criminal behaviour, maintaining family relationships and the father-child bond.

The goal of the Visitor Resource Centres at Bath Institutions, Kingston Penitentiary, Collins Bay Institution and Joyceville Institution is to meet the needs of adults and children visiting relatives or friends in the correctional setting. The long periods of separation the children of incarcerated fathers experience feeds uncertainty and anxiety in the father/child relationship. The VRC supports the father / child by encouraging the fathers to connect with their children by offering craft activities, story books and games that will enhance their visiting experience. The VRC provides a safe, pleasant environment where all visitors are met with dignity and respect. Visiting in a correctional setting is not normal but being a family is.

Jeffrey Goes to Jail is a booklet for children, published by CFCN to provide children with a positive, healthy, honest explanation of what it is to walk into a correctional setting to visit a father. The intent of this resource is to educate children and alleviate anxiety by explaining the procedures they will encounter walking into the correctional setting to visit their fathers. (available on CFCN web site: www.cfcn-rcafd.org)

The National Family Orientation Project is a part of each federally incarcerated offender’s assessment and orientation process. One of the focuses of the 2 hour presentation provided by CFCN is the importance of the fathering role. While viewing a video of a visit, parenting issues and the importance of the father/child bond are addressed. Further discussion with fathers is encouraged at this time.

Families frequently express their appreciation for the support that CFCN provides during their visits.  Children are provided with the experience of connecting with the family unit and with their fathers on a one-on-one. Mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends will subject themselves to rigorous security procedures to make sure that children in the family have contact with their fathers. It is our belief that the nuggets of positive experiences that are provided in the visiting area by CFCN staff and volunteer will aid in strengthening the father/child bond and assist in the growth of the child and support the reintegration of the inside family member.

 

There were high quality nominations this year.  Thanks to the judges for wrestling through the decision.

Here are the rest of the Nominations for 2011:

The Phoenix Centre

The Phoenix Centre is the administrator of the program developed by Invest In Kids called The Parenting Partnership.  This is a program for couples which starts in pregnancy and continues until the child is 14 months old.  Fathers are a critical part of this program and the on-line and face-to-face sessions were all created so that there would be a voice and tone which spoke to both mothers and fathers.  This is in particular true for the prenatal programming which has historically be very mother focused.

Focusing on the importance of fathers, right from pregnancy and in the early years has shown remarkable outcome in the fathers who have participated in the project.  We are hoping that this program will become the universal standard in Canada some day.

The Phoenix Centre is a children's mental health centre providing a range of treatment services to children under 18 and their families in Renfrew County.  The agency became host of the majority of Invest In Kids programs after it closed in September 2010. (www.phoenixcentre.com) 2010.

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Dr Edward Kruk

Dr. Edward Kruk of UBC for his work related to Equal Parenting and the Father's significant role not only for intact families but particularly post divorce.  

This study and his lectures have helped advance the need for Fathers to stay in the life of their children after divorce and constructively shows the damage to children caused by the current sole physical custody model.

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Young Dads Program – Ottawa

Sponsored by the Young Single Parent Support Network of Ottawa, the Young Dads Program has several key components:

v  It's My Child Too - a weekly evening group series to help young fathers understand the important role they can play in their child’s life.
Two male facilitators (one a young father himself) teach participants about fathers' roles, child development, parenting, healthy relationships and many other areas of interest.

v  Young Fathers’ Drop-In – a weekly evening program that is designed to give young fathers an informal night out to access recreation, social support, peer support and – most importantly – fun with their children.   Several young Dads take part in a sport (floor hockey, basketball, volleyball, etc.) from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.  This is followed by a nutritious and delicious supper when fathers have an opportunity to relax and talk about things they have in common. Group discussions and/or guest speakers (as chosen by the guys the week before) end the evening.  Every second week, the dads bring their children and the focus is on engaging their children in meaningful play.

v  Individual Support Counselling – available to dads one-to-one, Program participants learn about the program from their peers, or they may be referred by Children’s Aid, Public Health Nurses or other community professionals.  Many are struggling with their ability to maintain their relationship with their child.  All share a deep desire to be the best dad possible.

The Young Dads Program was first designed and piloted at the Youville Center, with Tim Paquette as the founding Program Coordinator.  Recognizing the involvement of high needs young dads from across the city, the Young Single Parent Support Network took responsibility for the program early in 2000, incorporating this important initiative into its very successful CAPC project:  “Brighter Futures for Children of Young Parents” and with additional financial support from the Ottawa community.   The program has components at all sites within the Young Single Parent Support Network, although the two weekly group activities occur at St. Mary’s Home and the Youville Center.  Throughout the evolution of this program, we benefitted from the significant encouragement and vision provided directly by Fernand Lozier, who was our CAPC / CPNP Program Consultant from PHAC.