Our Community
Carey dads get together Yani Leong Middle School Parents Association
This year, the Middle School Parents Association (MSPA) hosted its first Dads Night Out to bring together Carey dads and encourage their involvement in the School. Terry McAleenan was a driving force behind this event, inspired by his work with The Fathering Project, an organisation dedicated to strengthening communities and families by engaging and supporting fathers. We spoke to Terry to find out more about the event and how our children can benefit from more Carey dads getting involved. Can you tell us a bit about the Dads Night Out? John Beattie and I organised the Dads Night Out for the Middle School dads. We intend to run this event every other term at local venues. This time, we had a good turnout of 56 dads at the Ramblers Ale Works (pictured). There was fantastic energy in the room and we talked about our kids and families,
our careers, interests and shared lots of funny stories! There is an opportunity for dads from the Junior and Senior Schools to do the same and we are excited about growing the number of dads attending these events in future. What has motivated you in your work on the relationship of dads in the School community? Dads and father-figures have a profound effect on their children’s academic, social and emotional outcomes. Running targeted events for dads will make the School a more welcoming environment for them by being more inclusive and allowing them to build relationships with other Carey dads, which will lead to a greater number of dads actively participating in the Carey community. What advice do you have for Carey dads who are wanting to become involved but aren‘t sure how?
Terry at The Fathering Project‘s ‘Big Push‘ charity bike ride. We encourage Carey dads to keep an eye out for the event invitations and come along as often as they can. It’s such a great way to meet other dads in a relaxed and social environment. If they wish to find out more, they can contact us through the MSPA at mspa@carey.com.au. We are always open to new ideas. What are some of the benefits you hope to achieve for the Carey community with the work the MSPA are doing to include more Carey dads? I’m looking forward to seeing many more positive male role models that are active and engaged in the Carey community. When children see their dad or father-figure engaged in this way, it strengthens their connection with the School and their bond with their dad.
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