Side-by-Side: Strategies for Working with Vulnerable Fathers was a great success in Winnipeg on Mar 1,2. Here are some highlights:
There were 175 people from 7 provinces.
Welcome by Wab Kinew emphasizing the importance of fathers in ALL families and that fathers love their children, but sometimes struggle with knowing how to show it.
“We always loved you, we just didn’t know how to show you” – Wab’s father, a survivor of residential school systems in the 60’s
The Dads Panel had two great fathers sharing their stories and allowing us to hear about their experiences.
Keynotes from Phil Sevigny and Brian Russell converged on the importance of building on characeter strengths fathers bring.
Workshops initiated many great discussions on the situations some fathers find themselves in. How many hours of conversation these workshops prompted, we may never know.
There was a lot of media coverage within Winnipeg. Here are the links to where Dad Central Canada, the conference, and its leaders are highlighted:
- http://www.winnipegsun.com/2017/02/20/not-lot-of-support-for-dads Winnipeg Sun
- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/national-fatherhood-conference-winnipeg-1.4000156 CBC National
- http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1068017 CTV morning live
- http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/conference-helps-dads-be-better-dads-415295284.html Winnipeg Free Press
- http://globalnews.ca/video/3280626/providing-needed-support-to-dads Global morning show
We trust that there are countless children that will benefit from the conversations and ideas generated at Side-by-Side. Our intention is to host another national conference in 2019.
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