To encourage healthy child development by promoting the involvement, necessity and value regarding the role of fathers in the family and community.
Our vision is that men fully engage as stable, supportive educators and providers, and serve as healthy family role models, highlighting responsible fatherhood.
The Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition (IEFIC), started in 2013, is a group of community, county, and faith-based organizations, collaborating and pooling resources, services, and expertise to reduce father absenteeism and support father engagement.
We do this by providing:
- Education opportunities, father’s day breakfasts, fatherhood conferences and ongoing parent education through fatherhood programs in the community.
- Support services that are coordinated, accessible and father-friendly.
- Outreach to develop partnerships and promote positive images of fatherhood through media (i.e. social media, live streaming advertisements and bus ads).
- Evaluation of our program’s outcomes and identification of best practices for father engagement.
The Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition represents a collaborative effort between community, county and faith-based organizations, systemically addressing these issues and barriers. It takes a collective impact approach to reduce father absenteeism and to improve the image of fatherhood in our communities.
Fatherhood Summit
Fathers are irreplaceable. June is Fatherhood Awareness Month.
About the Fatherhood Summit
Presented by Children’s Network through the Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition, the Inland Empire Fatherhood Summit is a celebration of fatherhood. The Summit aims to educate and encourage agencies to increase efforts on father engagement and normalize father involvement within systems. We aim to do this through inspirational keynote presenters, topical workshops addressing the specific needs of fathers and their families. Having the right information, support, and services can make a world of difference when you are a father today. At this year’s summit, we will continue to seek to engage our professionals through keynote speakers and workshops so that we all are speaking the same language and engage fathers and families holistically in our efforts to create a father friendly Inland Empire.
Tool Box Tips for Dads
Kids really develop through playing.
- Free play is the best way to develop the imagination.
- Taking a walk is a great way to decompress.
- The power of play can create lifelong memories, as well as facilitate learning and growth.
- Music and dance can get anyone moving.
- Visit a local park to swing on the swings.
These are just a few tips to help you support your child’s movement and activity. Stay positive, you can do it. Remember, learn to be content, but don’t stay content!
Tips for fathers to become involved in their child’s education.
- Set up a small area for your student to have space for studying. This will make it a little easier for your student to stay focused and organized.
- Make an effort to get to know your child’s teacher and build a team to wrap around your children. This will establish communication early on.
- Fill out the volunteer form in the beginning of the year so you can be approved to volunteer on campus.
- Attend parent/teacher conferences, back to school nights and other events at your child’s school.
- Visit your school district’s website and get familiar with resources they may be offering. Visit your school district’s social media platforms to get updates as well.
These are just a few tips to help you support your child’s education. Stay positive, you can do it. Remember, learn to be content, but don’t stay content!
Tips for dads on supporting mom during pregnancy and after birth.
- Listen and open the line of communication.
- Offer her support and let her know she is not alone and you are there to help.
- Offer to watch the baby while mom gets some rest or go visits a friend.
- Get up with mom when she breastfeeds.
These are just a few tips to help you support mom during pregnancy and after birth. Stay positive, you can do it. Remember, learn to be content, but don’t stay content!
Resources & Tips for Professionals
- Use inclusive or gender-neutral language on forms and other written materials (instead of “mom” or “dad” use “parent” or “caregiver”).
- Train staff on the importance of father involvement. Share research on the positive influence of healthy father involvement, help staff identify biases against fathers, and encourage staff to actively engage fathers.
- Ensure that the physical space is welcoming and inclusive for the whole family. Include photos of fathers engaging with their children in public areas. Include changing tables in all restrooms.
- Ask if your organization has a stated goal to serve fathers and identify additional opportunities to purposefully include fathers in your services.
- The Nurturing Father’s Program is an evidence based 13-week training course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men. Each class provides proven, effective skills for healthy family relationships and child development.
- Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition (IEFIC) provides Nurturing Fathers Facilitator Training for agencies interested in increasing their father engagement efforts and implementing a fatherhood program. IEFIC believes in partnerships and seeks to collaborate with agencies so that the Nurturing Fathers Program is accessible to any father seeking a program in his community. For more information, please contact the IEFIC Coordinator at (909) 383-9677.
These sample flyers can give your organization an idea of how to create a dad-friendly flyer for your event.
- Tips to Create a Father Friendly Organization
- Father Engagement School Flyer Sample
- Fatherhood Breakfast Flyer – Sample
- Donuts with Dads Flyer – Sample
Follow Us and Stay Informed
Learn more about the Inland Empire Father Involvement Coalition by visiting us on Facebook.
Join our mailing list to stay current with community outreach and education.
Learn more about the many events that are offered for dads around the community.