--- title: Don’t Leave Out This Key Ingredient for A Successful Group-Based Program description: Learn about the distinctions between closed and open enrollment for your fatherhood program and why closed enrollment is the gold standard for group dynamics. image: https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_group-based-program-ingredient.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/dont-leave-out-this-key-ingredient-for-a-successful-group-based-program#main) - [![NFI mark](https://www.fatherhood.org/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI%20mark.svg)FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://www.fatherhood.org/) - [STORE.FATHERHOOD.ORG](https://store.fatherhood.org/) [![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=149&height=82&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=65&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=119&height=66&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ![NFI_logo_blue_left (1) 1](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png?width=89&height=49&name=NFI_logo_blue_left%20(1)%201.png) ](https://www.fatherhood.org) - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Show submenu for Get Informed Get Informed - [How To Build Strong Families](https://www.fatherhood.org/build-strong-families) - [Why Father Inclusion Matters](https://www.fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters) - [Father Stats & Infographics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - Show submenu for Get Involved Get Involved - [Fatherhood Programs](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/programs-and-resources) - [Train Your Staff](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/staff-training) - [State, County, and City Agency Services](https://www.fatherhood.org/solutions/collaborative-services) - Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Find Your Stage of Father Inclusion](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-inclusion) - [How Father Friendly Is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) [Get In Touch](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) [Store](https://store.fatherhood.org/?hsLang=en) Show submenu for Get Started Get Started - [Fatherhood Data & Statistics](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic) - [How Father Friendly is Your Organization?](https://www.fatherhood.org/father-friendly) - [Other Free Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/nfi-free-resources) - [Talk With us to Get Started](https://www.fatherhood.org/get-started) National Fatherhood Initiative Blog / [Latest Articles](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood) [General Fatherhood Program Resources](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/topic/general-fatherhood-program-resources) # Don’t Leave Out This Key Ingredient for A Successful Group-Based Program 2 min read ![Erik Vecere](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NFI-Assets/images/Erik%20Vecere.png?width=100&height=100&name=Erik%20Vecere.png) [** Erik Vecere ** ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/author/erik-vecere) As Chief Partner Success Officer for National Fatherhood Initiative® (NFI), Erik is responsible for developing and nurturing partnerships with network-based entities that have relationships with human service organizations. ![NFI_Blog_group-based-program-ingredient](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Blog/NFI_Blog_group-based-program-ingredient.jpg?width=453&name=NFI_Blog_group-based-program-ingredient.jpg) If you run a group-based fatherhood program, you know the ingredients for success: great facilitators, an evidence-based curriculum – such as [24/7 Dad](https://store.fatherhood.org/24-7-dad-programs/)® or [InsideOut Dad](https://store.fatherhood.org/insideout-dad-programs/)® – and multiple marketing tactics that motivate dads to attend. But, an often-overlooked ingredient is **how** you deliver your program. **A great way to create a “tastier” experience for your dads is to use closed enrollment.** Closed enrollment requires dads to join on session 1 together, then complete all sessions as a cohort in the order in which they appear in the curriculum. Open enrollment – in contrast – is where dads can join on any session. Open enrollment can hinder your program outcomes in several ways, including: - Dads unable to process critical issues that were introduced earlier (e.g. starting on the topic “working with mom and co-parenting” before addressing deeper-rooted issues such as: family history, what it means to be a man, handling and expressing emotions, and effective communication). - Dads not getting to know each other as well. - Facilitators unable to administer pre- and post-assessment surveys during every session. - More difficult for facilitators to manage problem participants (e.g. monopolizers, disruptors, etc.) - More difficult for facilitators to move groups through the [5 stages of group development](https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/reading-the-five-stages-of-team-development/) (e.g. forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning). Moreover, a study conducted by [Mathematica Policy Research](https://mathematica.org/publications/responsible-fatherhood-programming-two-approaches-to-service-delivery) found that **participation and retention was much higher in closed enrollment delivery** (referred to as “integrated cohort”) versus open enrollment delivery (referred to as “open-entry”). While closed enrollment is the gold standard for group dynamics, it also presents some challenges, including: - Dads having to wait until the next program cycle begins, which can be 3-4 months. By the time the next cycle comes around, those dads may no longer be motivated to attend. - Some partners (e.g. judges, state departments of social services, etc.) may require immediate entry into your program for their clients. - The need to stagger multiple groups that overlap and run concurrently, which requires more staff time and resources. So, what can you do to offer closed enrollment when you run into these – or similar – challenges? I’m glad you asked! Here are a few tactics to consider: - **Reduce the number of meetings needed to conduct all 12 sessions -**By reducing the number of sessions (e.g. covering 2 or 3 sessions per week over 4 or 6 weeks instead of once per week for 12 weeks), dads won’t have to wait as long between cycles to join. Check out our free ebook, "How to Delivery 24/7 Dad® in 4 Weeks" [here](https://www.fatherhood.org/247-dad-in-four-weeks). - **Leverage dads who completed the program by training them to be co-facilitators -**This builds capacity to run additional cycles and run them more frequently. - **Offer other services and resources to bridge the gap until the next cycle -**Explore other ways to keep dads engaged while they wait (e.g. case management, events, self-paced materials like: [brochures](https://store.fatherhood.org/english-spanish-brochures/) and [discussion guides](https://store.fatherhood.org/discussion-guides-topical/)). - **Educate partners that require immediate enrollment –** Presenting the reasons that closed enrollment will benefit the dads – and thereby your partners – can help your partners be more flexible on when their referrals enroll. They can reinforce the importance of attending even if the dads have to wait for enrollment. - **Partner with other agencies -**Explore partnerships with agencies whose staff/volunteers could be leveraged to offer additional program cycles. - **Use virtual delivery - **Look for ways to leverage virtual delivery to increase the number of program cycles offered. A successful fatherhood program requires a blend of many ingredients – miss one and it won’t taste as good to the dads. To serve up the best dish possible, stir in some closed enrollment!*** *** **Do you offer closed or open enrollment delivery for your fatherhood programs?** **If you offer closed enrollment, what tactics have you used to address the challenges listed above?** **If you offer open enrollment, which tactic best addresses the challenges you face?** [![Learn more about the Father Engagement Academy by National Fatherhood Initiative](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/135704/c81321f1-c981-43b7-aa34-e7e2228402a8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/135704/c81321f1-c981-43b7-aa34-e7e2228402a8) Date Published: 11/10/2021 Last Updated: 11/18/2021 ## Learn How to Build a Fatherhood Program That Works Download this free guide for a proven 7-step roadmap—from making the case and securing funding for your program, to launching and measuring real results! [Get The Guide Now!](https://www.fatherhood.org/starting-a-fatherhood-program) ![7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program](https://www.fatherhood.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program.png?width=700&height=700&name=7-steps-starting-a-fatherhood_program.png) [ Previous ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/ending-the-youth-screen-addiction-means-a-change-in-parenting-it-begins-by-saying-no) [ Next ](https://www.fatherhood.org/championing-fatherhood/a-family-centered-model-for-enhancing-maternal-and-child-health-through-fatherhood-programming-1) ## Related Articles ### [Limited Blog Series: Supporting My Co-Parent Image created with GPT Image 2. Quick Confidence Builds are brief activities that practitioners can use when working with dads in face-to-face or virtual group-based or one-on-one ... 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