Fathers Corps
At a glance
Since 2013, First 5’s Alameda County Fathers Corps (Father Corps) has partnered with county agencies to support fathers in meaningfully engaging with their children and advocating for father-friendly services. Between 2023-2024, Fathers Corps work resulted in:
400+ fathers and partners engaged at the Fatherhood Summit
500+ fathers were served by Fathers Corps programming
$1.4M invested in fatherhood strategy
Helping fathers and father-figures to engage meaningfully with their children
The Alameda County Fathers Corps (Fathers Corps) advocates for family service providers to offer father-friendly services to strengthen fathers’ parenting skills and help them engage with their families. Fathers Corps is available to all fathers and father-figures in Alameda County.
Nested within First 5’s Parent Partnership strategy, Father Corps is a collaborative effort of First 5 Alameda County, Alameda County’s Health Care Services Agency, Social Services Agency, Probation Department, and Child Support Services Department.
Program components
Fathers Corps takes a broad approach to supporting fathers and father-figures by focusing on:
- Fathers. By promoting father-friendly and father-specific programming in under-resourced, economically vulnerable neighborhoods; by raising up the voices of fathers through listening sessions, interviews, and speaker panels; and by convening fathers at our county-wide Fatherhood Summit to celebrate and honor the critical role they play in families and communities.
- Service providers. By offering trainings to help providers better engage fathers; by providing safe spaces for learning, peer support, and networking for male providers; and by surveying providers to identify gaps in support for fathers
- Agencies. By offering trainings and tools to help agencies implement Father Friendly Principles (FFP) in their programming.
- Systems. By convening leaders through an interagency workgroup focused on policies that reduce barriers preventing fathers from fully engaging with their children.
- The Alameda County community. By creating a positive narrative around fatherhood so fathers are recognized as an essential, nurturing part of the fabric of family and community.
Connect and learn with us
For fathers and father-figures:
Dad-scussions is an ongoing virtual series that provides opportunities for Fathers to discuss current topics that matter to them.
The Fatherhood Resource Directory is a guide designed to connect fathers with essential services, support programs, and community resources to enhance their parenting journey and promote family well-being.
For providers and partner agencies:
The Father-Friendly Provider Network (FFPN) provides training to all providers interested in building their capacity to more effectively engage and support fathers and father-figures. In addition to providing capacity building opportunities, the FFPN supports FFPN participants with the implementation of the Father-Friendly Principles at their home agencies.
Father Friendly Provider Network trainings take place on the 3rd Friday every month starting September 2024 – June 2025; 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Join us for an enriching learning experience designed to build the capacity of service providers to hold difficult co-parenting conversations with clients. Together we will establish and implement common language that providers can use when discussing healthy relationships and co-parenting, fostering a new norm of co-parents functioning as a team for the benefit of the child. Healthy Relationship Learning Community (HRLC) participants will be required to participate in monthly intensive capacity building activities September 2024 – June 2025.
Healthy Relationships Learning Community trainings take place on the 3rd Thursday every month starting September 2024 – June 2025; 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Related resources
Video: Father Corps Dad-scussions and training videos
Dad-scussions is an ongoing virtual series that provides opportunities for fathers to discuss current topics that matter to them. To register for the next Dad-scussion, click here.
Watch videos
Evaluation: Supporting Father Involvement and Success
An Evaluation of the Father Corps Program of First 5 Alameda County. Fathers Corps works to create a father-friendly system of care for families by building the capacity ofservice providers to effectively see, serve, and support fathers and father-figures.
Program evaluation
Photos: Diversity of fatherhood photo bank
The Alameda County Fathers Corps has built a Digital Photo Bank with downloadable images of Dads being Dads. Too often fathers are not represented in the images we see promoting families. We need your help to change that; these images are now available for you to download and use on your website, and in your…
Photo bank
Father Friendly Principles
The Fathers Corps is a county-wide team of male service providers-in-training, working to help strengthen families by helping men be the best fathers they can be. Our goal is that every father fully engages and supports their children and that agencies and organizations in Alameda County be fully prepared to help them succeed. The Fathers…
Learn moreThe Fathers Corps has dedicated itself to crafting a nurturing environment for fathers within family care systems while championing services tailored to paternal needs. As a pioneering force on local, state, and national fronts in the realm of fatherhood advocacy, engagement, and support, the Fathers Corps remains at the forefront.
Kevin Bremond, Program Administrator