“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” -Ephesians 6:4 (NIV)
Sadly, too many young fathers are missing from their children’s lives. An approach, offering voluntary alternative high schools called Career Academies, was not specifically designed to be a fatherhood program. However, it delivers solid fatherhood results. Career Academies provide small learning communities combining academic and technical curricula with a career theme, such as the culinary arts or the construction trades. The academies emphasize hands-on training with internships and partnerships with local employers.
Eight years after high school, the academies had increased the average incomes of the at-risk young men who attended by $4,332 per year, increased the number of men who were married and living with their wives by 33 percent, and increased the number of men who were living with their children by 45 percent. Apparently, helping young men become employable also helps them become better husbands and fathers.[i]
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[i] Kemple, J.J., & Willner, C.J. (2008). Career Academies: Long-term impacts on labor market outcomes, educational attainment, and transitions to adulthood. New York: MDRC.