Dads Matter Too

The Salvation Army’s Bethany Hope Centre in Ottawa offers a program called “Dads Matter”, which aims to give young fathers a place to connect and learn about fatherhood.

This program is open to fathers under the age of 29. Sessions take place every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. During this time, dads share a meal and discuss topics related to parenting and fatherhood. There are even opportunities for participants to practice their cooking skills and prepare dinner for one another.

Merlin James, who is a participant at the Bethany Hope Centre, struck up a conversation one day with a staff member who told him about Dads Matter. Being a father of five, Merlin decided to give it a try.

“I have to say I was pretty nervous, maybe a little standoffish. Didn’t know what to expect. But I definitely found it very welcoming, open and supportive,” he said.

Eventually, Merlin was comfortable with the group. He appreciated the support that the dads in the program provided for each other. Merlin now has been going to sessions for over a year.

“I definitely found it very welcoming, open and supportive.”

Before coming to Bethany Hope, Merlin had to deal with some challenges in his life, including homelessness. As a result of the previous hard times, Merlin carried some mental stress with him. He is grateful that the Dads Matter program has supported him by understanding what he went through.

“Having the support of people who understood, knew about stress,  were willing to sit, listen, and share more techniques and different ways of doing things, has been very helpful,” Merlin said.

With his five children ranging from ages 11 to three months old, Merlin is among the most experienced dads in the group. This has made him the dad that the younger dads look up to.

Rachel Day, who has coordinated Dads Matter since, 2021, hopes the program continues to grow and is happy to see participants every week.

“Having a space where Dads can share their struggles and positive stories about their children is so important,” Rachel said.

To get connected with new potential participants, some of the dads in the program like to provide intake cards to people they think could join.

Dads learn about healthy eating.

Merlin believes fathering programs are not very common, which makes this specific group very important to him. For this reason, he encourages other parents to join whenever he gets the chance.

“I hand out cards on the bus and pretty much anywhere I go. I see young parents that are struggling, that look overwhelmed, that look like they could just use that extra little bit of support. So, I hand a card and explain what it is and send them over here because I feel like it is so important,” he said.

Despite previous life challenges, Merlin loves being a dad. He finds it very rewarding.

“Just waking up in the morning and seeing those smiles on their faces… I can’t get enough of it.”

To listen to the full interview with Merlin and Rachel, check out the Salvationist Podcast (https://salvationist.ca/articles/salvationist-podcast-dads-matter/).

By Juan Romero