Wednesday, March 18, 2026

11:50 AM - 12:30 PM

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Overview

Presented by: Michael Collard - Senior Project Officer, Aboriginal Communities and Families Health Research Alliance (ACRA) and Yvonne Clark - Principle Research Fellow, Aboriginal Communities and Families Health Research Alliance (ACRA).

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Details

The aim of the Keeping Dads Strong for Family project was to identify the strengths of new and expectant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fathers, what their experiences of being a father was like and what types of supports they identified to stay strong. We conducted yarning circles with fathers who shared their experiences of what it was like being a father, some of the challenges they have endured and the types of support they would like to help them during this time to keep them strong for their family. From our yarning circles, we have been able to highlight certain areas that our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander fathers have deemed essential for the continuation of being a strong dad, and activities that will help develop strengths and supports that will build on existing strengths for fathers. Some of these areas’ fathers identified were needed to come from insufficiencies in their current supports and also come from Aboriginal cultural and other activities that reinforce and strengthen their Social Emotional and Wellbeing for themselves and their families.