Global Communities is looking for a facilitator to pilot a monthly Afghan Fathers Group in San Diego County. This group is a relaxed coffee gathering for Afghan dads. Fathers will come together to talk, learn from each other, and discuss family life, fatherhood, and raising children in the United States while honoring Afghan culture and values. This is a paid consultant role. This role includes both learning and teaching. You do not need formal training in fatherhood programs. We will provide training, support, and mentorship to help you succeed.
What the role includes:
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Leading one Afghan fathers’ coffee gathering each month
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Introducing simple educational topics that help fathers support healthy families and children
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Guiding conversations about parenting, relationships, and life in the U.S.
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Sharing ideas and listening to other fathers
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Working with Global Communities staff
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Attending paid training and mentorship sessions
We are looking for someone who:
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Is part of the Afghan community
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Is respected and trusted by other Afghan men
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Speaks Dari and/or Pashto
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Is comfortable leading group conversations
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Is open to learning new skills and working with a mentor
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Cares about families, fathers, and children
Light coffee and snacks will be provided for each group.
If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact Lisa Bain at Global Communities Healthy Start: [email protected]
Contract content draft
Background Statement
Global Communities’ Healthy Start program serves pregnant and postpartum families with the goal of improving maternal and infant health outcomes, strengthening families, and reducing disparities. As part of this work, the program provides care coordination and case management services to dozens of Afghan women and families who have resettled in the United States following displacement from Afghanistan.
Fathers play a critical role in family stability, maternal well-being, and healthy child development. However, Afghan fathers often face unique challenges after resettlement, including navigating unfamiliar health, education, and social service systems; reconciling traditional cultural and religious values with U.S. expectations; and adjusting to new family roles, employment pressures, and parenting norms. These challenges are compounded by language barriers, trauma, loss, and social isolation.
Healthy Start is required to implement group-based activities and seeks to intentionally engage Afghan fathers in a culturally responsive, strengths-based manner. To support this goal, Global Communities plans to launch a monthly Afghan Fathers Group, facilitated by a trusted member of the Afghan community. The group will provide a welcoming, informal space for fathers to connect with one another, build parenting and co‑parenting skills, and engage in guided discussions relevant to fatherhood, family health, and life in the United States.
Group sessions will be grounded in Fathering in 15, an interactive curriculum designed to build practical fathering skills through short, engaging learning segments. Topics will be adapted to reflect the lived experiences of Afghan fathers and will intentionally address differences between parenting expectations in the U.S. and in Afghanistan, particularly as they relate to child discipline, parental roles, communication, and supporting mothers’ access to medical and mental health care. The Facilitator may incur and invoice for light refreshment expenses to support Afghan Fathers Group sessions. Expenses must be reasonable and directly related to group activities.
Scope of Work
1. Role and Responsibilities
The Facilitator will be responsible for planning, leading, and documenting a monthly Afghan Fathers Group in collaboration with Global Communities Healthy Start staff. Responsibilities include:
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Serving as the primary facilitator for group sessions, creating a respectful, inclusive, and culturally grounded environment.
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Acting as a cultural bridge between Afghan fathers and U.S. health and social systems, while honoring Afghan traditions and values.
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Collaborating with Healthy Start staff through regular check-ins and ongoing communication.
2. Group Structure and Content
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Frequency: One (1) group session per month
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Format: Informal “coffee date” style gathering with light refreshments
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Duration: Approximately 60–90 minutes per session
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Language: Dari and/or Pashto (with English as needed)
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Each session will include:
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Welcome and informal conversation
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One short learning segment (approximately 15 minutes) drawn from Fathering in 15
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Guided group discussion and peer sharing
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Time for questions and community connection
3. Curriculum Topics
The Facilitator will draw from the Fathering in 15 curriculum, selecting topics based on group interest and relevance. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
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Family History and Identity
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Being a Man and a Father
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Handling Emotions, Grief, and Loss
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Fathers’ Physical and Mental Health
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Relationships with Mothers and Co‑Parenting
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Communication and Conflict Resolution
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Fathering Skills and Child Development
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Child Discipline and Guidance
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Work–Family Balance
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Managing Money and Financial Stress
Cultural Adaptation:
For this group, the Facilitator will intentionally engage fathers in discussion about differences between parenting and family expectations in Afghanistan and in the United States, including:
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Norms around child discipline and U.S. laws and expectations
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Fathers’ roles in supporting maternal health and well-being
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Navigating prenatal, postpartum, and pediatric care
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Understanding that families may request female health providers, while also recognizing situations where male providers may be necessary to ensure timely care
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Shared decision-making within families in a U.S. context
4. Outreach and Engagement
The Facilitator will:
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Encourage consistent attendance and relationship-building among participants
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Work with Healthy Start staff to promote the group through trusted community networks
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Help create a welcoming environment that respects religious practices, family obligations, and work schedules
5. Data Collection and Documentation
To support program accountability and reporting requirements, the Facilitator will:
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Collect participant sign‑in and feedback information at each session, including required demographic data as outlined by Healthy Start
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Document for each session:
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Date and location
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Number of attendees
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Topic(s) covered
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Submit attendance and session documentation to Global Communities in a timely manner, using provided templates and guidance
6. Check‑Ins and Communication
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Participate in monthly check‑ins with Healthy Start staff
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Share feedback on:
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Attendance and engagement
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Topics of greatest interest to fathers
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Emerging needs, concerns, or successes
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Recommendations for future topics or group adjustments
7. Compensation and Reimbursements
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The Facilitator will be compensated for:
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Group facilitation time
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Preparation, coordination, and outreach
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Monthly check‑ins
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Training and mentorship activities
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Funds will also be provided or reimbursed for light coffee and snacks for participants, in accordance with Global Communities policies.
8. Desired Qualifications
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Member of the Afghan community with strong community trust and relationships
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Experience facilitating groups, leading discussions, or providing community education
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Familiarity with Afghan cultural and religious values related to family and parenting
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Ability to facilitate respectful dialogue around sensitive topics
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Fluency in Dari and/or Pashto preferred
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Commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and collaboration
Deliverables
The Facilitator shall provide the following services and deliverables during the contract period in accordance with Global Communities’ Healthy Start program requirements.
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Training and Mentorship: The Facilitator shall participate in up to twenty‑four (24) hours of training and mentorship, billable to the program, as directed by Global Communities. Training and mentorship will support the Facilitator’s effective implementation of fatherhood group activities and may include orientation to the Healthy Start program; instruction on the Fathering in 15 curriculum; guidance on culturally responsive, trauma‑informed group facilitation; support with addressing sensitive topics; and coaching related to session planning, documentation, and reporting requirements. Training and mentorship may be delivered through individual meetings, group sessions, observation, or virtual support.
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Identification of Location: Global Communities shall be responsible for ensuring that an appropriate location is identified for the monthly Afghan Fathers Group. This may include securing a location directly or partnering with the Facilitator to identify a trusted, accessible, and culturally appropriate community-based setting for the gatherings. The selected location should support an informal coffee-style format, participant comfort, confidentiality, and consistent monthly attendance.
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Group Facilitation: The Facilitator shall plan and facilitate one (1) Afghan Fathers Group session per month for the duration of the contract. Sessions shall incorporate a topic drawn from the Fathering in 15 curriculum and include guided discussion adapted to the cultural, religious, and lived experiences of Afghan fathers. The Facilitator shall foster a respectful and inclusive environment and support peer connection and learning among participants.
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Documentation and Data Collection: The Facilitator shall collect participant sign‑in and required demographic information at each session using tools or templates provided by Global Communities. For each session, the Facilitator shall document the session date, location, number of participants, and topic(s) covered, and submit all required documentation within timelines established by Global Communities to support monitoring, reporting, and compliance requirements.
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Coordination and Check‑Ins: The Facilitator shall participate in monthly check‑in meetings with Global Communities Healthy Start staff to discuss attendance, participant engagement, topics of interest, challenges, successes, and recommended adjustments to group content or format.
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Professional Standards: The Facilitator shall maintain confidentiality, communicate professionally, and collaborate with Global Communities staff to support successful implementation of group activities and continuous quality improvement.
