Thank you, Cora, for sharing your insights and wisdom with us for a Presenter Spotlight!
Question: Share a little about how your personal and professional background relates to building great communities:
Answer: As the City’s Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, my goal is to engage the community in ways that helps them feel community ownership and build connections. Several of the programs I have started, or helped start relate to this.
Q: What do you see as the most important factor shaping the future of responsible fatherhood work?
A: Fathers having the support they need to feel empowered and able to be responsible.
Q: What is one myth or understanding you encounter in your line of work (relating to fatherhood or otherwise) that you’d like to bust?
A: That all fathers are the same.
Q: Our theme is “Bringing it Home.” We know that where somebody lives can have a huge influence on their values, priorities and outlooks. Share a little about the place you call “home” and how it shaped you.
A: I grew up in Springfield and decided to attend Drury University and make a life and home here. I am very attached and thankful for the opportunities I have been provided to try to make a difference in the community.
Q: What is your motto in life?
A: Kindness matters.
Q: In your opinion, what difference does it make to families and communities when fathers have the tools they need to be Good Dads?
A: It makes a huge difference in the lives of the individual families and the community as a whole. We don’t know what we don’t know. People need grace and support.
Q: What part of your presentation are you most excited to share with reunion attendees?
A: How people are willing to learn and give of themselves if they are invited to do so and provided the tools required.
Q: We’re always on the hunt for insightful and inspiring resources from other great minds. If you have an article, book, podcast, etc., you think reunion attendees would enjoy, please share!
A: Must reads: Dr. Robert Putnam’s “Bowling Alone” and “Our Kids”. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Social Isolation and Loneliness; Max Fisher’s “The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired our Minds and Our World.”
Bring it Home with Good Dads
At the Good Dads Family Reunion, Cora Scott and her colleague, Greg Burris, will present a session titled “Couch Repellant: Using ‘Civic Matchmaking’ to Engage Volunteers.” You’ll learn about the five macro-trends impacting every community that create fertile ground for the Give 5 Program.
“Bringing it Home” is Friday, July 18, in Springfield, MO. Facilitators, chapter leaders and friends of Good Dads are invited to attend our first-ever Family Reunion. At this daylong celebration, we’ll enjoy delicious food, live music, exciting prizes and fun, engaging opportunities to honor the important father-focused work taking place around Missouri. Register for the reunion on the Good Dads website to secure your spot!
