What We Do

We take great pride in what we do and we strive to make a difference:

Promote healthy parenting emotionally, physically and practically
Reduce isolation and increase socialisation
Promote the inclusion of fathers in parenting to benefit their children
Raise confidence, self-esteem and skills of being a dad
Influence services to become more father friendly through giving dads a voice

The objects of the organisation shall be to advance the education and promote the health of fathers in East Lothian and in furtherance thereof the organisation shall seek to:

Provide a drop in facility where fathers and children can develop and play together and thereby build healthy relations
Provide advice, support and practical help to fathers including making available information and resources
Provide parenting classes and dads’ groups to develop positive fathering skills
Carry out such activities as are charitable and which promote the benefits of healthy fathering

We currently offer the following services:

Dads 2 Be East Lothian
Dads and Male Care Givers Weekly Drop-in Support Group
Counselling
Community Gardening
Family Outings
Family Caravan Holidays
Summer Activity Programme
Go Mad With Dad
1 to 1 Home Outreach Service
Warm Space
Men’s Shed
Advice and Advocacy Support

Summaries of our range of services can be found below, with supporting links and pop-up boxes of information
If you need any futher information or assistance please email us or phone us during office hours

Dads 2 Be

Dads 2 Be East Lothian is a 4 week professionally led course supporting expectant fathers prepare for fatherhood.

Our aim is to offer you the skills to support their partners through labour and childbirth, learn about baby care skill of bathing, nappies and supporting feeding. Gain knowledge in baby communication and brain development and much more in the early days of becoming a new dad.

Visit our Dads 2 Be Facebook page for more –
FACEBOOK.COM/DADS2BEEASTLOTHIAN

Weekly Drop-in Support Group

A weekly informal drop-in group in a safe space to meet and talk with other dads with refreshments.

When and where :

Wednesday 10.00am – 11.30am

DadsWork SCIO Office,
9a Orchard Crescent, Prestonpans,
East Lothian, EH32 9JJ

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Counselling Service

DadsWork SCIO Counselling Service offers you a weekly 50 minutes confidential space to talk through things that may be affecting your ability to function from day-to-day by face to face, online or by telephone.

We offer counselling Monday – Friday only.

People come to counselling with a broad range of issues.

CLICK THIS BOX FOR MORE INFORMATION

Community Gardening

DadsWork SCIO Community Garden /
David Drysdale Community Garden

Our community garden, based in Musselburgh, is designed for families to be part of the community.

We aim to provide families with a safe purposeful space to meet other families and grow vegetables and fruit for personal use within our greenhouse and raised flower beds.

We also aim to cook on site with our wonderful pizza oven and cooking stove.

SEE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

Family Outings

DadsWork SCIO offers dads and male care givers a variety of Family Outings throughout the year. Previous trips have included :

Blair Drummond Safari Park
Glasgow Science Centre
Dundee Science Centre
Inchcolm Island
Edinburgh Zoo

Watch out for details of upcoming outings on our NEWS page or our Facebook feed.

Family Caravan

DadsWork SCIO offers the dads and male care givers the opportunity to have a family holiday at our family caravan in Kinghorn Harbour Holiday Park.

Our caravan has everything you need to have a relaxing break away from the everyday stresses, with beautiful views across the Firth of Forth. Enjoy birdwatching and seeing the ships and boats passing form our decked area. You’ll see beautiful sunsets and sunrises and moonlight skies with amazing stars. There are plenty of beautiful coastal walks, beaches, lochs and harbours. Full access to leisure and recreational activities are nearby at the Pettycur Bay Holiday Park.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

“We love going to the caravan because it is such a relaxing and peaceful place with friendly people. There are lots of great walks and a lots to explore with such beautiful views to die for. Logan (age 7) loves how all the kids mix together and play together at the park, the beach is beautiful and clean, when we go there it is just like a second home to us. We really enjoy it there, in fact we love it there.”

Summer Activity Programme

DadsWork SCIO offers fathers and their children the opportunity to take part in FREE activities designed to engage and enrich their bonding and relationships.

All activities are Free and accessible to alleviate the stress of the school holidays and financial pressures.

CLICK THE BOX FOR MORE INFORMATION

Go Mad With Dad

Go Mad with Dad is an free annual event offering dads and male caregivers the opportunity to an exclusive morning of fun filled activities meeting other families whilst enjoying and participating many activities enriching their relationship with their children.

Visit our Go Mad With Dad Facebook page – facebook.com/GoMadWithDad

1-1 Home Outreach Service

One to One support refers to you being assigned exclusively to a worker for a specific period of time. The main responsibility is to work with you as you need individual support.

A one-to-one support can provide support in many ways. Delivering 1:1 support is designed to ensure that your needs are met, providing you with the necessary tools to concentrate and complete tasks assigned to you. This support may take place in your home, our DadsWork SCIO Office or a public space (Library, Sports Centre or Café).

CONTACT US TO MAKE AN ENQUIRY

Warm Space

Free hot homemade soup, hot drinks and filled rolls.

An opportunity to meet other men with access to free Wi-fi, computers, and in addition we will be able to have some fun playing board games.

Advice and guidance will be provided in 1-1 sessions if required for support from DadsWork SCIO staff and support services.

CLICK THIS BOX FOR MORE INFORMATION

Men's Shed

Our Men’s Shed offers members a resource where they can work on projects at their own pace and in a safe, friendly and inclusive venue.

It’s a place of leisure where men come together to work and gain a sense of belonging and purpose and meet other men with similar interests sharing knowledge and learning new skill.

Our aim is to reduce isolation and increase socialisation.

VISIT THE MEN’S SHED FACEBOOK PAGE

Advice and Advocacy Support

Advice : Guidance and direction on a particular course of action which needs to be undertaken in order to realise a need, access a service or realise individual entitlements.

Advocacy Support : Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need.

CLICK THIS BOX FOR MORE INFORMATION

“Having recently retired I was looking for something to fill in one or two days a week.

I had always thought about joining the Men Shed and am so glad I did. You always receive a warm welcome. Since my first visit I have discovered talents in wood work which surprised me! It has been good to be involved in community projects and I have been motivated to try out personal projects. I really enjoy listening to other people’s stories over coffee and a biscuit.

Joining the Men’s Shed has definitely given me a focus and opportunities to get involved in activities I’m sure I would not have discovered otherwise. I’m so happy that I joined this group.“

John Lyall