Lads Need Dads CIC

What a week! Wrapping things up before heading out to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday, but before doing so wanted to share my last update of the week, this time from our Engage community volunteering programme at Lads Need Dads. Today two of our 12-year-old LND mentees, alongside two of our dedicated mentors, stepped up to assemble four much-needed shelving units for our storage unit. Not only did they gain valuable life skills, but they also helped us directly as we worked together to get organised. While they were busy with the shelves, I tackled a long-overdue clear out—and a carload of rubbish later, we now have a far more efficient storage space! The lads gained practical experience, we got a tidy unit, and we all came away feeling accomplished. Win-win! Now to tackle the much trickier job of what to wear this evening 😳😂 #LadsNeedDads #YouthDevelopment #LifeSkills #CommunityVolunteering #PracticalSkills #MentoringMatters #TeamWork #EmpoweringYoungMen #SocialImpact #OrganisedForSuccess

Could you inspire our boys?

On World Mental Health Day, I’m reflecting on one of the aspects of our work at Lads Need Dads that I’m most proud of: how we’ve helped many young men who’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts or found life too overwhelming. It’s a sobering reminder of why we do what we do. Having spent nearly three decades working in criminal justice, substance misuse, anger management, and homelessness, I know firsthand how at-risk males are. The statistics tell a stark story: men are vastly overrepresented. Too often, the root of the issue lies in fatherlessness or strained relationships with their fathers, which is why I founded Lads Need Dads. Did you know that 70% of suicides aged 10-19 in 20/21 were boys. Boys are five times less likely to talk to Childline about their mental health than girls and even less likely to talk about suicidal thoughts.(14% boys compared to 86% of girls talked about suicidal thoughts) (Childline 2022.) Father absence is considered one of the most significant social factors contributing to these outcomes, even surpassing race and socioeconomic status in its impact on children’s well-being. (https://lnkd.in/eB9pS5Nf). Today, I’m sharing a powerful video featuring Charlie, one of our long-term participants, who has grown into an inspiring young man. Charlie came to us at just 12 years old, not long after losing his father. For the past six years, we’ve walked alongside him, witnessing his growth into a confident, respectful, and engaging individual. Now, he’s not only a Lads Need Dads ambassador but also an aspiring mentor to our younger lads. This video was filmed when Charlie was 16, but I chose to wait until he turned 18 to share it, with his permission. It felt important to let him reach adulthood first. Today feels like the right time to share his story on such a pertinent day and he agrees. Let’s continue the conversation about mental health and support those who need it most but give special consideration and thought to males who are fatherless as they are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. Joel Shaljean Liam Maguire The Centre for Social Justice MHFA England® MARK Brooks OBE Warren Farrell, PhD James Elliott MSc Bradley Greensmith

Proud moment for Lads Need Dads! Last night, three of our fine LND ambassadors Charlie, Alby, and Harley, had the privilege of attending a key event in London, co-hosted by True.Global and the Centre for Social Justice. With the aim of equipping all young people with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed, True.Global and The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) launched their new project:   'Maximising Potential: How can we build an education system that gives each student the best chance?' Lads Need Dads was one of five charities (which included: One eighty, Power2, Children Heard and Seen, Artis and Dallaglio RugbyWorks), selected to showcase its work to an audience of policymakers, academics, practitioners, and philanthropists—an incredible opportunity to share insights, explore solutions, and build meaningful partnerships. True.Global, known for helping businesses of all sizes achieve greatness through investment, support, and strategic innovation, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders. The goal of the evening was to identify innovative practices and successful solutions that could be scaled up for broader use. We heard inspiring talks from Paul Cocker founder of True, CEO of the Centre for Social Justice, Andy Cook, Head teacher Emma Bonnin and guest speaker for the evening former rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio. Our ambassadors represented us with excellence, engaging in thoughtful conversations and sharing their personal journeys with Lads Need Dads. Their stories truly resonated, demonstrating the impact of our programmes and the importance of our work in supporting young men. We received encouraging feedback from attendees, reinforcing our commitment to driving change. Here’s to hoping Lads Need Dads continues to be recognised as a model for solutions that address some of today’s pressing social challenges. 🚀 The Centre for Social Justice True. Dr Liam Waldron . Andy Routley Gordon MacSween MARK Brooks OBE

Equipping, engaging and inspiring young men…

International Men’s Day is quickly approaching… International Men’s Day is the perfect time to highlight the incredible organisations across the UK that are dedicated to supporting men and boys, including our very own Lads Need Dads CIC If your company or organisation is looking for a cause to support or fundraise for this year, do take a look at the list featured in the link and feel free to share this post and spread the word! List: https://lnkd.in/dcDA88GZ #InternationalMensDay #MensHealth #BoysSupport #Charity #LadsNeedDads #Fundraising #UKCharities #MentalHealth #Wellbeing #SupportMen #MenMatter

Do you work or know someone in the finance sector, if so please read on…

Up-skilling for the road ahead! This week saw the commencement of another Engage practical lifeskills programme, https://lnkd.in/e5VRWaGE this time with our Tendring cohort based in Clacton, which kicked off with a really equipping bike maintenance workshop! 🚲 The boys not only learned the practical skills of using a bicycle pump, pressure gauge, removing and replacing an inner tube, and maintaining a bike chain, but also gained insights into the importance of self-reliance and problem-solving. These hands-on lessons build confidence and empower them to take responsibility for their own equipment. The session, led by our dedicated mentor Matt, showed how cycling can be enjoyed not just as a means of transportation, but also as a lifelong hobby and even a competitive sport. It was inspiring to see the boys’ enthusiasm and teamwork as they tackled each task, supporting one another throughout. A huge thank you to mentors Joel, Pete, and our ambassador Charlie for their amazing support and guidance during the session! Every step we take helps build stronger, more capable young men 😀. #LifeSkills #BikeMaintenance #ClactonEngage #YouthDevelopment #Empowerment #FutureLeaders Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Essex

LND lads loving London..

"When we went down to the woods today…” 🌳🍯 Today some of our youngling LND boys had a truly enlightening morning at Hammonds Farm in Fordham, Colchester, where we explored the fascinating world of bees and tasted their delicious honey! 🐝 The highlight for the boys was a cleverly designed treasure hunt around the farm, put together by the wonderful owner #EmmaBarr, which led us directly to the buzzing beehives. Brian the beekeeper provided an engaging and hands-on talk, educating us on the critical role bees play in our ecosystem. It was a morning filled with learning, adventure, and a deepened respect for these essential pollinators. We wrapped up with a delightful picnic in the woods, enjoying honey tastings on a variety of freshly baked breads, bagels, pancakes, and cakes. 🍞🥯🥞 This experience has given us all a greater appreciation for the vital work of bees and their impact on our environment. 🌸🌍. ☺️ Warren Farrell, PhD Andy Routley Joel Shaljean Gordon MacSween Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Essex #beekeeping #honey