Since his divorce, Kevin Robinson talks to his kids more and he's more dedicated to being in their lives. But it wasn't always so amicable.

"I went through a period where I was confused. I was separated from my children for about six months. I had to learn to deal with my ex."

At 49, Robinson, is evolving, and he credits Newark Now's Comprehensive Center for Fathers for the changes he's made.

Last year, Robinson was a part of the first class of 20 men that completed the center’s fatherhood program in Newark. And in February the men from the first four classes marched in an official graduation ceremony.

The program is an extension of the National Comprehensive Center for Fathers in Philadelphia.  The program targets fathers, but the underlying goal is to make them whole men. During the eight weeks the men are in a class setting where they learn how to handle everything from family dynamics, relationship conflicts and parenting skills to the math and reading basics. They have a mid-term and a final exam. There’s also a job search portion of the program. And the men stay in contact with the staff after they complete the eight weeks.

The bonds are never broken and these men have a “family” to come back to.

When Robinson came to the center, based at Essex County College in Newark, not only was he going through the challenges of divorce, but he also had trouble reading. He is now working on getting his General Equivalency Diploma and he reads everyday.

For the first time, Robinson says he found a place where he felt inspired and they welcomed him.

He says it became more than a program, but a fraternity of “brothers” looking out for each other and supporting one another through life’s obstacles.

"I had never been around black and Latino men who really knew about how to achieve the things they wanted to achieve. They made me feel special and they were really here to help me," Robinson says.

And that's the goal, says the program's executive director, LaVar Young.

"These men aren't just numbers. We take the time to get to know them and what their needs are."

Throughout Newark there are many services for women and mothers in transition, but the ones aimed at men are scarce, Young says.

Tarrick Tucker, 25, is an ex-offender, but he had a committment to being a father. Although he doesn't have any biological children, he was helping to raise his  girlfriend's kids. "I was thirsting for something else, my lifestyle was too much and I had to get rid of the hustling part of my lifestyle."

The program is open to all fathers who want to improve themselves, but many of the men are ex-offenders.

In a city where each year, approximately 3,000 men come home from prison, they are often released with few options. And what’s offered to them doesn’t speak to their needs.

“Sometimes ex-offenders get three or four pamphlets from a case worker and nothing relates to them, and especially the ones who are fathers,” Young says.  “People assume men don’t have the same issues as females.”

The needs of the fathers are often overlooked, adds, Abdul Muhammad, the lead instructor in the program. Some of the men are dealing with custody issues and child support issues, and some also find themselves in the homeless shelter system.

WORKING IT OUT
Since June 2008, the center has had six classes, and as the men in the program have grown, so have the staff members.

As Young, Muhammad and intake assessment specialist John Leslie prepared for the sixth class in June, they recalled how in the beginning they were still learning how to best serve the men who walked through the doors of suite 4120.

“As a staff, we are now more equipped to handling what the guys are going through, Young says. “We have become stronger in terms of figuring out the system as far child support, custody issues, the welfare system and how it affects men in particular.”

Young even goes to court with some of the men.

Knowing what the issues are and recognizing what each man’s goals and needs are helps Young and the staff get the guys to the next level in their lives.

To date, 87 men have completed the program. As a 1st year pilot program the center was contracted to successfully graduate 80 men. After completion of the sixth class July 10th, 105 men will have completed the program.

And many of the men will be met with  life-changing opportunities.<

The employment rate for the graduate has been as high as 70 percent, but with the recession and some of the men getting laid off, that number has dropped to 59 percent.

"Our graduates are working in construction, security, maintenance, customer service, warehouse, trucking, retail, landscaping. We really try to help men locate work in the industry they are most comfortable," Young says.

Robinson is now a volunteer with AmeriCorps' Volunteers in Service to America and works with the center’s work in style component of the program.

Some work for the city of Newark. Tucker works for the city's finance department and attends Berkeley College. And executive director Young and others are exploring the idea of getting the men positions in green jobs.

Some men have even gone back to school. Nine men are enrolled in school to get their GED, four are in college and five are in vocational training.

THE CIRCLE IS NEVER BROKEN
The earlier graduating classes were fathers in their late 20s to early 50s. Young says he’s now getting participants who are in their early 20s to late teens. And he’s seeing relatives of former graduates.

Word is spreading that this is a program for men, developed by men and it addresses their concerns. The staff is made up of five men and one woman.

Muhammad says it’s important and beneficial that the staff is almost all male because many of the participants have relationship problems with women. It’s important that they don’t have any distractions and many times, men are more willing to take criticism from other men.

And Muhammad is a teacher the men can relate to. In a recent class on family structure, Muhammad talks about dysfunctional families and asks the men to assess themselves and each other. He even shares painful stories from his past.

The program also created a “talking circle,” where the men can express themselves in an emotionally safe atmosphere.

“It makes me feel good to have someone to relate to,” Robinson says.

Tucker says since completing the program he has become more responsible for himself and he's looking forward to traveling, networking and following up with real estate goals.

Young and Muhammad also point out the program has survived some growing pains.

“Keeping the guys in tune for 8 weeks without jobs was a challenge, but most stick it out.” Muhammad says. “A lot of men are used to instant gratification. They’ve been in the streets. But they are learning about patience, that they have to let this process work out for itself.”

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