NEYDL-Annual-Rep-2023.indd

‘They (NEYDL) were in our corner every single step of the way.’ (Young Dad) “According to my research a good Chair of Trustees is altruistic, has a good sense of humour, empowers others, and is friendly and humble.” (Professor Anna Tarrant) 3 North East Young Lads & Dads | ANNUAL REPORT 2023 CHAIR’S REPORT By Professor Anna Tarrant It is an absolute honour to introduce the North East Young Dads and Lads’ 2023 Annual Report in my brand-new capacity as the Chair of Trustees. As a starter for ten, please permit me to provide a brief overview of how I came to take on this role. I first became acquainted with the charity in 2017 and then again in 2020 in my capacity as a researcher, initially at the University of Leeds and now the University of Lincoln. I have been researching the lives of men in low-income families for a long time now, including a strand of work with young fathers and have always been interested in capturing the pioneering work of services that are involved in supporting fathers and families to flourish. My research team (Following Young Fathers Further) and I approached the charity in 2020 having seen CEO Kev talk about the pioneering work of the North East Young Dads and Lads on the BBC and it was clear that our interests and agendas for supporting young fathers in innovative ways aligned. In a research capacity, we worked to support some of NEYDL’s young dads to conduct peer research as part of the Diverse Dads study. We co-wrote two research reports and a peer reviewed journal article with the dads as the Diverse Dads Collaborative and demonstrated the capacity of young dads to challenge negative stereotypes about themselves and others by contributing new knowledge and by changing the narrative. I later joined the Board of Trustees in 2022, bringing my research experience into the conversations of the board. When Steven Bramwell announced he was stepping down as Chair of Trustees, I made the decision to take the step up; to support Kev and the NEYDL team with their ambitions for this thriving charity, to work with the Board of Trustees to support Kev and his strategic vision, and to sustain the ethos and ambitions of the charity. And what big shoes I must fill! According to my research a good Chair of Trustees is altruistic, has a good sense of humour, empowers others, and is friendly and humble. I’d like to think I epitomise all of those things (sense of humour included!) but certainly our outgoing Chair Steven is all these things in spades. It is therefore my aim to bring these qualities and a comparable level of passion, drive, and enthusiasm to the role as Steven did. As the items in this year’s report demonstrate, the anticipated trajectory of growth and innovation that was described in the 2022 report, has been realised and some! It has certainly been another fantastic and progressive year as promised! The charity continues to attract significant grant funding and is supporting an ever-expanding portfolio of young fathers, not just across the North East and Tyne and Wear region, but also nationally and even internationally. The community beekeeping, and Wheelie Good Dads projects have gone from strength to strength and via the DigiDAD platform, the charity is reaching new and increasingly distant destinations, from the depths of Wales to the far flung reaches of Peru. Testament to the increasing visibility and recognition of the charity and its work on DigiDAD, the charity was shortlisted in the category of Charity of the Year in the prestigious Children and Young People Now Awards 2022 and a further 2 categories in 2023 (Advice and Guidance and Youth Work categories). At the point of publication I’m pleased to report that we won in both categories in 2023. This is a huge honour and testament to the rising visibility and impact of the charity, and its work with and for young fathers. As the year 2023 unfolds, I wish to say a huge thank you to the young dads, to the Board, to the consultants, the funders, and the ever-expanding staff team at NEYDL for everything that you do. Thanks also to Kev, for your tireless commitment to the dads and to the charity as it develops and as it grows in its reach and influence. I look forward to working with you all in the year ahead. Professor Anna Tarrant (Chair of Trustees since 11th July 2023 and Vice Chair from 7th July 2022 to 11th July 2023)