Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2013
Capstone Advisor
Carol Dwyer, Community Benchmarks Program Director
Honors Reader
William Coplin, Director, Public Affairs Program
Capstone Major
Public Diplomacy
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Social Sciences
Subject Categories
Public Affairs | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration | Public Policy
Abstract
Introduction: This study reports the findings based on the results of three surveys implemented to determine the effectiveness of the Fathers Now program. The aim of the report is the gage if the program is meeting its goals for current and past participants.
Methods: The data provided in the report was collected from both in-person surveys as well as phone surveys. 25 participants were surveyed in the pre-survey, 16 in the post-survey, and 25 in alumni phone interviews.
Findings:
Pre-Survey
1. 56% of respondents heard about Fathers Now by word of mouth. (N=25)
2. 76% of participants say job search assistance is the support they are most interested in receiving from Fathers Now. (N=25)
3. All but one respondent are currently unemployed. (N=25)
4. 42% of respondents have 1 child. (n=24)
5. 79% of respondents are not involved in the community. (n=24)
6. 54% of respondents say they have encountered barriers to their employment. (n=24)
7. 66% of respondents’ highest level of education is some high school or a GED. (n=24)
8. 72% of respondents indicated that they have a good or excellent relationship with their children. (N=25)
9. 60% of respondents say that their personal relationships are good or excellent. (N=25)
10. 80% of respondents say that they have good or excellent self-confidence. (N=25)
11. 58% of respondents have fathers that were not involved in their lives. (n=24)
12. 39% of respondents have joint custody of their child or children. (n=23)
13. 46% of respondents say that their idea of fatherhood is to provide general support. (n=24)
14. 42% of respondents say that their household role is to lead the household. (n=24)
15. 92% of respondents participated in Fathers Now to either better themselves or to become a better father. (n=24)
Post-Survey
1. 30% of respondents gained knowledge about how to become a more responsible father by participating in Fathers Now, which is more than any other benefit gained. (n=16)
2. 53% of respondents say they are not involved in the community. This is an improvement from the 79% who were not involved in the community at the time of the pre-survey. (n=15)
3. 95% of respondents found the program to be good or excellent. (n=16)
4. 88% of respondents found the courses offered to be good or excellent. (n=16)
5. All but one respondent found the instructors to be good or excellent. (n=16)
6. 69% of respondents found the career services to be good or excellent. (n=16)
7. 88% of respondents found the support from staff to be good or excellent. (n=16)
8. All but one respondent found the support from fellow participants to be good or excellent. (n=16)
9. 81% of respondents have a good or excellent relationship with their children. (n=15)
10. 94% of respondents claim their self- confidence is good or excellent. (n=16)
11. All respondents say that attending Fathers Now was a priority or high priority in their lives. (n=16)
12. No respondents found the program to be too long, and 69% found it to be the appropriate length. (n=16)
13. Helping participants find job is the top improvement that Fathers Now can make. (n=15)
14. 38% of participants mentioned self-improvement to enhance their parenting skills more than any other ideas when asked how their idea of fatherhood had changed. (n=16)
15. 40% of participants say that being more involved in their children’s lives is now their most important role in their households. (n=15)
16. 50% of respondents say that they gained life skills from Fathers Now. (n=16)
17. 37% of respondents cite a new outlook as their most valuable learning they gained from participating in Fathers Now. (n=16)
Alumni Phone Survey
1. 92% of respondents say the program had a great impact on their lives. (n=25)
2. 64% of program alumni are unemployed. (n=25)
3. 3. 46% of respondents have joint custody for their children.
4. 87% of alumni are involved in the community. This is a 66% increase from participants beginning the program. (n=24)
5. 56% of respondents say better parenting or responsibility are the most valuable lessons they learned from Fathers Now. (n=24)
6. 23% of respondents say learning basic parenting skills was the most significant change in their parenting since Fathers Now. (n=22)
7. 58% of respondents say bettering the career services and expanding the program are how Fathers Now can best improve. (n=24)
8. 88% of alumni have not been incarcerated since participating in Fathers Now. (n=25)
Conclusion: Fathers Now has positively impacted its participants, and that impact has a long-term effect on their lives. The program’s most significant effect is helping participants become better fathers and community members. The area in need of improvement for Fathers Now is their career services.
Recommended Citation
Maltby, Erica Walker, "Fathers Now: Participant Evaluation" (2013). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 38.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/38
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