Fathers Workshop

     Several years ago Armstrong County Community Action Agency analyzed the fact that most of our clients were women.  We dealt with some men, but mostly women.  After researching the problem, we became acquainted with Dr. Randy Turner who was very involved with the Fatherhood Initiative.  The Fathers Initiative was a program that addresses the importance of a "Father" in the structure of a "Family".

     The "Thursday night" Fathers Workshop began in December of 1999.  The men who volunteered for the first workshop were part of the other programs that Community Action offers.  The four men who teach the workshop are qualified individuals with the education and dedication it takes to make the workshop work.

     The success of the program has spread and our four facilitators now offer the workshop in the Armstrong County Jail as well as the original at the Manorville Training Center.

     Many men who volunteer to be part of the Fathers Workshop have come to the realization that they are very important in the lives of their children.  The workshop is taught every Thursday night at the Manorville Training Center and every Tuesday evening at the Armstrong County Jail for our incarcerated Fathers.  The same male facilitators teach the classes.

     Our Employment Training Center has extended its "Job Placement" service to both workshops.  We now offer to find jobs for unemployed fathers and incarcerated parents, who are in jail for non-payment of child support.  We work closely with Domestic Relations to help get these people employed once they are released.  The Problem is bigger than money - the program educates parents to realize the responsibilities and joys of being a parent.

• We place over 50% of the people in the program