Getting Dads Talking with Dan Flanagan, Dad La Soul

There are six million dads in the UK and when Dan Flanagan's own father passed away he re-evaluated his own life. "It can be lonely to be a dad but men don't like to talk about that."
The consequences are profound and tragic. Isolation, loneliness, mental ill-health. For some men, suicide – horrifyingly, 96 men under 45 are lost to suicide each week in the UK. And the emotional availability of fathers has both an immediate and long-lasting impact on children.
A few years ago Dan started blogging about fathers and parenting and – to his great surprise – his posts became hugely popular. They resonated with many men who were frustrated they couldn't share their feelings with others, suffering in silence, or struggling with stereotyping.
He launched Dad La Soul, a "revolutionary grassroots movement that uses art, tech, music and play to battle social isolation and loneliness." The more we can do to get dads talking the better, he says.
Dad La Soul is a not-for-profit community interest company. It's now globally recognised, has been mentioned in the UK's parliament and featured in numerous media articles.
Its impact report has unlocked numerous opportunities for the social enterprise, and been recognised as an exemplary piece of storytelling and impact communication.
Dan tells Heidi how he came to launch and develop Dad La Soul and build communities where dads support each other.
He describes how it has worked with many organisations, from football clubs to social housing providers to local authorities to big brands – but it's also turned down numerous partnerships if they weren't right.
And he covers how he shook up impact reporting by necessity.
What next?

• Dad La Soul website: www.dadlasoul.com
• Dad La Soul impact report
• More about Heidi's work at https://www.makeanimpactcic.co.uk