Swale
£493
Football
Project overview:
New Dad’s United
is a social 11-a side football club for new or expectant fathers in Kent. The club is unique in that it doesn’t have a team that competes in a league, instead there are monthly in-house games where dads play against each other, or friendly matches are set up again other teams. A monthly date is selected, with venue hire, officials and kit provided, dads just need to book a space and turn up with boots and shin pads.
After the idea was shared on two local facebook groups, 79 new dads said they were interested so the club started to plan and set up sessions. Funding was used for equipment and facility hire in Swale and Canterbury.
Organisation Impact:
- Provided organisation with recognition in the local community
- Offered more opportunities for people to be active
- New charity sponsors of Dads Unlimited and Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust
Community Impact
- Support network created for dads to seek advice
- Mums cheering on sidelines and creating new friendships
- Charity partner provides professional support to individuals
“The club has created a much-needed support network for dads to seek advice from each other, be it to do with caring for the baby, supporting mum’s recovery, managing finances through to maternity and paternity pay or even dealing with the very quick transition back to full time work.”
New Dad’s United team member
Key Learnings:
Participant led. Work with your participants to ensure that goals, challenges and needs are reflected in your project. Co-creation elevates participants experiences, makes them feel valued and gives them the ability to shape their own experiences and experiences of others
Partnership working. Link up organisations that can support and champion the work that you, find out what they could offer you and your participants and what you could offer back. Linking in with Dads and United and the partnership trust has enabled the club to provide professional support to those that need it.
“The mums are always cheering on the sidelines with the babies and they are also developing friendships and sharing their experiences of motherhood, which whilst being off on maternity leave is crucial for mum’s mental health too.”
New Dad’s United supporter