Training Description


Delivered by National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI) Chief Program Officer Erik Vecere, the on-demand Community Mobilization Workshop™ covers everything you need to start rallying a community around responsible and committed fatherhood.


Topics Covered

  • Why mobilize around fatherhood and why community leaders make a difference.
  • How to make change happen at the community level.
  • Specific mobilizations tools and how to fund your initiative.
  • How to conduct a need and assets assessment process in a community.
  • How to help a community plan for a Leadership Summit on Fatherhood.
  • How to assist a community to implement a Community Action Plan on Fatherhood.


Features & Benefits

  • Learn to develop a multi-sectoral plan at the city or county level to promote responsible fatherhood using NFI's proven 3-phase Community Mobilization Approach™ (CMA).
  • Examples of how other communities have had success with the CMA.
  • A plethora of guides and planning tools to help you get started and stay on track with your mobilization efforts.


Who Should Enroll

  • Staff and practitioners in state and local government agencies/entities
  • Staff and practitioners in local human service organizations
  • Members/representatives of established multi-organization initiatives/collaboratives/partnerships
  • Any person or entity that wants to mobilize a community around responsible fatherhood from the ground up


Completion Time

  • Minimum 2 hours.


Meet Your Trainer


Erik Vecere is the Chief Program Officer of National Fatherhood Initiative®. Erik has developed and implemented NFI's programs and initiatives across the country and oversees NFI's Program Support efforts, which includes all Community-based, Corrections, and Military initiatives. Mr. Vecere has trained thousands of facilitators to lead various fatherhood programs and has provided technical assistance to hundreds of organizations that improved program quality and effectiveness. He works closely with state, county, and local leaders to create a continual stream of programs and other resources to meet the needs of fathers and families nationally. Erik received a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Robert Morris University, Moon Township, PA and an Associates Degree in Letters, Arts and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University, Altoona, PA.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome!

    • Father Engagement Academy™ Orientation

    • Materials Needed and Downloadable Files

    • What to Expect
  • 2

    Section 1: Introduction to the CMA Workshop and the Importance of the Lead Agency

    • Introduction to the Community Mobilization Approach (CMA)

    • The Importance of a Strong Lead Agency

    • The "Who" and the "When"

    • The Importance of Starting Out Strong

    • FREE CMA Guide and Conclusion
  • 3

    Section 2: What is Community Mobilization?

    • Community Mobilization

    • Creating a Vision
  • 4

    Section 3: Phase 1 - The Community Needs and Assets Assessment

    • REAPS for Fatherhood

    • Gather Secondary Existing Data

    • Creating a Community Asset Map

    • Conduct Focus Groups with Leaders

    • Analysis and Report Writing
  • 5

    Section 4: Phase 2 - The Leadership Summit on Fatherhood

    • Objectives, Who Will Attend, and Steps Required

    • Identify Leaders

    • The Initial Planning Meeting

    • Subsequent Planning Meetings

    • How Many Should Attend and Marketing
  • 6

    Section 5: Phase 3 - Anchor with An Action Plan

    • Action Plan and Anchoring a Fatherhood Initiative

    • The Action Plan Template

    • How the CMA Facilitates the Collaborative Process

    • Funding the Initiative
  • 7

    Section 6: What Will This Become For You?

    • Example 1: Mobilizing Fatherhood in Metro Atlanta

    • Example 2: Summit County Fatherhood Initiative

    • Reminders and Conclusion