HOUGHTON — The Keweenaw Family Resource Center is offering its second 12-week Fatherhood Workshop for 2024. The first session will begin at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the KFRC Offices at Trinity Episcopal Church, 205 East Montezuma, Houghton.

There is no cost to attend the program.

The workshop, titled 24:7 Dad, is for all fathers and father figures who will give them the parenting, relationship, and communication skills, as well as the support they need, to be involved, responsible and committed fathers. The program is evidence-based, Kevin Weir said. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 1 in 4 children grow up in a father absent homes.

According to a national survey only 54% of first-time fathers felt they were adequately prepared for fatherhood. The same survey found that 57% of fathers felt they could be replaced as a father by any other man.

“Nearly half of first time dads out there feel unprepared for fatherhood, and more than half don’t feel their role as a father is necessarily important or unique,” Weir said. “Fathers are important. Research shows that children with involved fathers are at lower risk for a host of poor childhood outcomes like, emotional and behavioral problems, poor school performance, and alcohol and substance abuse among many others.”

Developed by fathering and parenting experts, 24:7 Dad is the most widely used evidence-based program designed specifically for fathers. It focuses on the characteristics that men need to be involved fathers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This community-based program helps men develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills they need to get and stay involved with their children. 24:7 Dad focuses on key fathering characteristics like masculinity, discipline, and work/family balance and helps men evaluate their own parenting skills, as well as their role as a role model.

The program is open to all fathers and father figures, and will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning on Sept. 18 at the KFRC Offices at Trinity Episcopal Church, 205 East Montezuma, Houghton. There is no cost to attend the program and a light meal is provided and childcare is available.

Weir said there is still room for dads.

The first workshop, which began in February, had a much lower participation that what was hoped, said Weir.

“We’d like to set the limit at 12,” he said. “There is still room for dads who want to participate. It’s difficult to get dads involved, though.”

To register for 24:7 Dad, call Kevin at (906) 482-9363.