Volunteer Spotlight: Dwayne Foster
Spotlight Accolade: Facilitator for youth in Juvenile Halls for 4 years
Class: Songs of Our Fathers [Fatherhood]
How did you become a Facilitator for the fatherhood class?
Single teenage moms get a lot of attention, if there is a mom there is a dad. Teenage dads need to step up and do their part. Someone overheard me talking to my own kids and recommended me to Dr. Rabb [the late founder of Center for the Empowerment of Families (CEF)]. Dr. Rabb said “I heard you’re a good father, doesn't matter who you are, I heard you are a good father, come to class.” The class was [a training course for] working with teenage fathers. I trained for 9 months with Dr. Rabb. End of session, okay you’re ready...The class is all ready, students are ready.
How was the transition from training to teaching your own class?
I had a mentor in the beginning when I first started going to the classes. First thing I had to get used to was that there were kids I would be able to help and kids I wouldn’t be able to get through to. I had to discipline myself and teach myself to be consistent and come to class for the kids who would listen and want to be better fathers.
How has teaching this class changed or affected you?
Affected me as a father, it has made me appreciate my children more. [I’m] able to use what happens in my own home to help [teach the boys in my class]. Often times, mistakes I’ve made with my kids are good lessons with my kids at the juvenile hall.
What are your most memorable moments teaching the class?
We [had a Thanksgiving event and] were writing thanksgiving cards to [the boys’] babies’ mothers about how grateful the boys were for the moms being good mothers while they were incarcerated. The boys suggested they write letters to them, I also joined in to write a letter to my wife on how much I appreciated her.
[The second moment that stands out is] one kid was asked if he would sign over custody of his son to the state of California so his child could be put in an orphanage, because [the child’s mother] was on drugs and he was in jail, The boy told them told them No, because he was the father and... [has] been going to [fatherhood] classes for the last 4 months. That same kid told me, "Had I met you 6 months ago, I wouldn’t be in jail right now."
