Friends of Children of Mississippi, Inc. —
A Male Involvement Program

“Twenty years ago, we were carrying out an initiative, but didn’t know it was called male or fatherhood involvement…” says Marvin Hogan, Executive Director of Friends of Children of Mississippi Inc., as he describes the early efforts of the grantee Head Start agency to reach out to men—including youth, fathers, uncles, and grandfathers. In 1984, when the agency took stock, it discovered that most of the Head Start households (86%) were headed by single females. Not surprisingly, it was primarily the mothers who were involved in the Head Start activities. Staff members were concerned about the lack of male figures in the children’s lives and the Head Start program.

How to Get Started
The best way to reach Head Start fathers, according to Marvin, “is to establish a very positive relationship with them and show genuine interest in them as individuals.” That means being concerned about all aspects of their wellbeing, their economic status, and their relationship with the Head Start community. Marvin recalls that early on, the agency’s concern was translated into action when it set up the Friends Youth Corp for 15-25 year olds. Participants included local gang members. The youth were provided with mentoring, counseling and a variety of workshops to improve their literacy, self-esteem, and employment skills. The agency also secured summer jobs for some of the youth. They were responsible for maintaining and supervising baseball and softball fields. Their job performance was celebrated by local authorities as an outstanding contribution to the town. They earned the respect of the police and community who gave them an award for their work.

Over the years, Friends of Children of Mississippi, located in Jackson, has expanded from serving four counties and 1,300 children in central Mississippi to 15 counties and 3,522 children. The agency’s programs are diverse, including Early Head Start, job training and economic development, and partnerships with health providers, local school districts, and clergy. Friends of Children of Mississippi supports the development of the community, the family, and the individual.

Many of the 35 Head Start centers offer fatherhood/male programs. Although each program differs in some respects, Marvin articulates common principles that underlie the agency’s male involvement efforts:

• Establish a positive relationship with the customer (parents/fathers/males).
• Only promise what you can deliver. Tell the truth.
• Act now, do not simply study the problem. Make decisions and move forward.
• Listen to the parents/fathers/males. Give them opportunities to speak.
• Remain open to new ideas and approaches
• Stay humble. Admit you are human and make mistakes. Apologize when necessary and move on.

Effective Methods
Ron Collins, the agency’s Coordinator of Male Involvement Activities since July, 2000, notes that most Friends of Children programs hold monthly sessions for fathers and father figures. They get together on weekday evenings or Saturday mornings. An involved father of a three-year-old, Eric Brown praises the method his daughter’s Head Start program uses to encourage father participation: “Messages are left on my answering machine, notes are sent home with my child. Saying we’re not invited is an excuse that men have often used. But the program has eliminated that excuse. I know I’m welcome.”

The monthly sessions for fathers often feature a half-hour presentation of general information on relevant topics, such as how to access health resources or government services. Guest speakers or agency staff are invited to present. After time set aside for socializing, some centers offer activities involving children. One popular program was a Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Book Fair. Staff asked each involved father to recruit two others for literacy activities. The male involvement programs plan other adult-child activities, such as Breakfast with Dad, knowing how much children want their dads to be involved. The agency has created a Wall of Fame to display the photos of the dads who have been active in the male activities for five months or more.

Competition, Compassion and Coaching
Competition sometimes spurs involvement in the fatherhood program. Recently, the agency offered a special reward to the center with the highest attendance in male involvement programs. The agency chartered a bus to take dads from the winning center to a pro football game in New Orleans. Eric Brown observes that the trip was a great opportunity for fathers to bond.

It can be difficult to overcome some fathers’ initial reluctance to get involved in their children’s lives. According to Marvin, some Head Start fathers ask, “Why should I get involved when my own father wasn’t in my life?” He replies, “Do you want your child to say the same thing about you that you say about your dad?” Ron notes how important it is to assist each father in understanding that his relationship with his own dad affects how he relates to his children. Thinking back to childhood pain may be enough to motivate some Head Start dads to improve relationships with their children. But because every father is different, many other strategies are employed as well.

One strategy that promotes involvement is to ask parents to sign a non-binding “Compassionate Partnership” pledge that they will spend one and a half hours a Start dads to improve relationships with their children. But because every father is different, many other strategies are employed as well.

One strategy that promotes involvement is to ask parents to sign a non-binding “Compassionate Partnership” pledge that they will spend one and a half hours a week involved in an activity at the center or at home with their children. Children observe their parents signing and staff read them their parents’ pledge. Marvin explains that involving the children is “good psychology” because if parents fail to keep their pledge, children will ask them why. Ron is quick to point out to a father how happy his child is when the dad visits his child’s class. Marvin and Ron note that making these seemingly small connections between a father’s behavior and his child’s response is very important.

The next step the agency takes is mentoring and coaching fathers, including teaching them how to get involved in various activities with their children of all ages. For older children, dads are given guidance about coaching sports and helping with schoolwork.

Ron recalls that he did not think his job was going to be easy. Recruiting fathers was a challenge because they often perceive that Head Start is female “turf.” The predominantly female staff members sometimes feel uncomfortable approaching fathers. Staff training has been essential to the success of the male involvement program. The training has encouraged the Head Start staff to make their programs more father-friendly by inviting men into the classrooms. Centers are also required to conduct a self-assessment to determine whether their operation is father-friendly.

Being a Role Model
Ron also believes that it is important to have trusted community members participate in the male involvement program, particularly grandparents. He explains that grandparents are interested because, “They may have fallen short in the past. Some feel it is time to redeem themselves. They can be great role models.”

The success of the male involvement initiative depends heavily on the style of its leaders. The fact that Marvin and Ron are both fathers themselves and have charismatic personalities has helped their male involvement program succeed. They are great story tellers and are open about sharing their personal experiences.

Marvin talks with Head Start dads about his experiences both as a son and as a father. “It was difficult for me to recall anytime my father displayed affection. But he was always there.” Ron can understand the predicament of non-residential fathers and speaks about his own experiences with a protracted custody battle and paying child support. Marvin and Ron’s experiences allow them to empathize with fathers facing similar crises and to serve as effective role models.

Looking Ahead
Eric Brown thinks that dads bring a unique perspective to their children by encouraging curiosity and stimulating their interest in the wider world. He hopes the male involvement program will continue to grow. “For every child, there is a father. I want every father to be involved in his child’s life.” Marvin Hogan and Ron Collins would certainly agree. They, and many others around the country, share Eric’s wish for the future of male involvement in Head Start programs.

Written by Bulletin staff based on interviews with Marvin Hogan, Ron Collins, Eric Brown and review of program materials.

Marvin Hogan is Executive Director of Friends of Children of Mississippi, Inc. T: 601-353-3264 ext. 3002; E-mail: fcmeagleeye@bellsouth.net; Ron Collins is Male Involvement Coordinator. T: 601-353-3264 ext. 3042; E: ronald-collins@bellsouth.net; Eric Brown is Vice Chairman of the Head Start County Council. T: 601-823-5700.