In 1970, only six men in the US identified themselves as stay-at-home dads. Not 6%, but 6 men. Today, there are roughly 2 million stay-at-home dads. As the trend continues and more men become stay-at-home dads, just as with stay-at-home moms, many of these dads will eventually want to return to work. And when they want to make this transition, Dads Launch will be there to help them every step of the way.
Dads Launch is a platform focused on helping stay-at-home dads make the transition back into the workforce. The platform consists of a website, mobile app, and an in-person support network. Stay-at-home dads looking to go back to work can sign up for the 6-month Dads Launch program to help them find a job they will enjoy and make the transition back to work as easy as possible. The program consists of a website and mobile app, along with in-person support groups to equip dads with the skills necessary to navigate the modern job search process, and boost confidence and morale through a local support network of peers and mentors.
After a dad signs up to participate in the program, he will fill out his profile to help the program understand his situation and what he is looking for. He will then be connected to 2-3 other stay-at-home dads in the local area also looking to transition back to the workplace. This in-person network will allow these dads to connect with other individuals who are going through a similar experience. As part of the program, the dads will meet with their local support group at least once a month, in any form of the groups choosing (i.e. over coffee, a bbq, golfing, etc.), to talk about their experiences. By establishing once-a-month in-person meetings, the time commitment is not over-bearing and is meant to be very doable. Because this support group is made up of other stay-at-home dads trying to go back to work, there will be a high level of acceptance and therefore high motivation for the program participants. This group provides an instant connection and accountability among the group of dads to help each other and to make sure they complete the online workshops, which will help motivate the dads to continue this learning experience.
In addition to the in-person support network, the program users will be matched with an industry professional in their desired field, who will serve as a mentor throughout their job seeking process. This mentor can provide them with information, resources, and tips about what’s been going on in their field since they’ve been gone. After matching with a mentor, program participants will have once-a-month 15-30 minute Skype calls or in-person meetings with their mentor. This is meant to be a low time commitment activity but be a valuable source of information and connection to their intended industry. Another in-person activity that the users will participate in are local career fair events or other one-off professional networking events identified by the Dads Launch program to help with their job search process.
Along with in-person meetings and events, the Dads Launch platform consists of weekly online webinars and online skill-building workshops. Throughout the duration of the program, participants will watch a webinar each week about various topics and what steps they should be taking along the way to find a job and re-enter the workforce. In the first 1-2 months of the program, the online workshops will address topics such as resume building, career searching, identifying family-friendly companies, identifying companies that have workforce re-entry programs, how to build a LinkedIn profile, etc. Many dads in the program may have been out of the workforce for a while, so these sessions are meant to help them understand the current corporate landscape and what they need to do to be competitive and find a job. In months 3-4, users will start to apply to and interview for jobs, and the online workshops will address topics such as interviewing skills, how to deal with social perceptions of a stay-at-home dad, and how technology has changed recently. Finally, in months 5-6, users will continue applying to and interviewing for jobs, and some users may have landed jobs and will begin to transition back to work. In this phase, online workshops will deal with tips to continue your job search, tips for transitioning back to work, how to balance your new job with life, options for day-care or nannies, and how to deal with your emotions and feeling of leaving your kids after being home with them for so long. By exploring a wide range of topics, the webinars will complement the users as they move through their journey back into a job, and help them deal with frustrations or challenges associated with re-entering the workforce after a long break.
The program is meant to focus specifically on the stay-at-home dad market looking to re-enter the workforce. There is a lot of information online and many programs tailored to stay-at-home moms, but Dads Launch will cater to the newly emerging trend of stay-at-home dads. The program will cost $100 to participate, which will incentivize the participants to stick with it, since people are more likely to stick with something they have paid for. Dads Launch will also generate revenue by allowing family-friendly companies to sponsor/host webinars or post ads on the website and mobile app.
Sources:
https://hbr.org/2016/04/what-its-like-when-a-stay-at-home-dad-goes-back-to-work
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/13/stay-at-home-fathers_n_7261020.html
https://www.ft.com/content/4561788a-b687-11e4-a5f2-00144feab7de
