I Can Be a Dad: Launching a Project That the System Is Missing

VOLONTÉ UNITAS is launching a new project. Every year, approximately 200 young men leave children's homes in the Czech Republic. Without family support, without role models, without solid ground beneath their feet. Some of them will one day become fathers. And that is where the story of the project I Can Be a Dad begins.

Why This Project?

Children's homes in the Czech Republic today offer a wide range of programmes — from preparation for the labour market and financial literacy to practical life skills for independent living. But one thing has long been missing: preparation for the role of a parent. Specifically, the role of a father.

Young men grow up in an environment where a functional male role model is typically absent. No one shows them what a healthy relationship looks like, how to care for a child, or how to handle a disagreement before it escalates. Yet it is precisely at this age — before attitudes and behavioural patterns become fixed — that the opportunity for real change is greatest.

This gap has been highlighted by the chairwoman of the Federation of Children's Homes of the Czech Republic, PaeDr. Koubová: specific programmes focused on preparing young people for parenthood and the active role of fatherhood are still missing from the care system. The project I Can Be a Dad aims to fill that gap.

What Does the Project Offer?

From July 2026, we will be working with young men in children's homes across the Czech Republic. We plan to support at least 90 of them — and each will be assigned their own mentor, who will remain in contact throughout the programme and, if the person wishes, after they leave the home.

The programme is not about lectures or knowledge tests. It is about real, individual work with each person. About an individual development plan that respects their needs and situation. About group workshops covering communication within a family, emotional regulation, the basics of family law, and practical childcare. And about meetings with peer consultants — people who grew up in children's homes themselves, are today actively involved in raising their families, and have managed to build a new life from a difficult start.

What Do the Young Men Themselves Say?

During the project's preparation, we asked them directly. The answers were clear: I want to be a good father. I want to spend as much time with my children as possible. I don't want to repeat my parents' mistakes. I want to be able to provide for my family.

These are not exceptional responses — they are the norm. The motivation for change is there. The project I Can Be a Dad wants to support it and give it a concrete form.

Who Is Behind the Project?

The project is being implemented by VOLONTÉ UNITAS, z.ú. in partnership with VOLONTÉ CZECH, o.p.s., which has over seven years of experience working with young people in children's homes. More than 20 stakeholders are involved — from the Federation of Children's Homes and the National Centre for Family to ministries, non-profit organisations, and employment agencies.

The project I Can Be a Dad (reg. no. CZ.03.01.02/00/25_082/0006976) is being implemented through the Employment Plus Operational Programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund and the state budget of the Czech Republic. The project is co-financed by the European Union.