LANSING, MI — Andre Dandridge just wants young fathers to learn about shaping and molding the children that they helped to create.
He is the founder of www.newyoungfathers.com and NBI Bryans, LLC. He states that his organization represents a new identity for young fathers: responsible, dedicated and hardworking.
Armed with an educational DVD series designed to help young fathers with issues such as: what you need to do to adjust your life as a non-father to one of a father, how to set your priorities so that you have the necessities to care for your children, what you should do when you have to pay child support and how to control your emotions and live up to your potential while dealing with parental responsibilities.
Dandridge states that the DVD series and a quick handbook reference guide is the best way to communicate with new fathers who are under the age of 25. He stresses that it is the young fathers who need the most help while trying to navigate life and the system.
During his undergraduate studies at Michigan State, he and his girlfriend at the time became young parents of a beautiful baby girl. At that point in his life, he had to start thinking and acting like a responsible adult instead a of a carefree young college student. When he found out that a lot of his peers were experiencing fatherhood at a young age, that’s when this idea of a “how to” documentary and handbook started formulating.
“I would like young men to know that having a child is not the end of the world, it is just the beginning of something beautiful. You can deal with the pressure and responsibility and raise productive children regardless of the circumstance. I want them to experience the joy of knowing that they raised their own children,” said Dandridge.
One day, Dandridge heard a heart wrenching news story about a young man who was battling with child support issues and ultimately killed one mother, wounded another person and then committed suicide. There have been many other harrowing stories about the overpowering feeling that some feel about paying child support like the man who received a life sentence for injecting his son with the AIDS virus to avoid paying child support.
He believes that a major reason why young men need to be informed about how important and crucial it is to be involved and a positive influence in their children’s lives is because there are too many single parent households. The idea that most young men don’t want to be involved is insensitive and false. When child support and visitation issues arise and young men are not prepared to deal with it, they suffer immensely while also being some times excluded from their children’s lives.
When looking at resources he states that there is gender bias in what resources are available. He basically said there were more information available to mothers but not much for men and specifically, young men. His goal is to distribute “A Young Father’s Handbook” which is a guide written by his organization to help young fathers become responsible men at state and local agencies. His grassroots efforts would include also distributing the guide and DVDs at local stores, beauty and barbershops and churches. Even though there are systemic, institutional and cultural challenges he is passionate about this issue and continues to plague the plight of young fathers.
He infuses hip hop and real talk to communicate with an otherwise hard to reach population.
For more information about the DVD series log on to www.newyoungfathers.com or call Andre Dandridge directly at 517-256-1368.
