‘A stepping stone’: Men find hope during free east side training
(MIRROR INDY) — John Plump suffered a stroke in 2017. The father of seven said his speech was affected and he experienced memory loss. He also lost his job remodeling kitchens and bathrooms.
While trying to figure out his next step, a friend recommended the Strong Fathers class from the nonprofit Fathers and Families Center.
“I wanted to take advantage of this, you know, to kind of be a stepping stone back to recovery,” said Plump, 61.
The program is a free three-week course that helps men become better fathers through life skill development, education assistance and guidance on relationships and legal issues.
It also prepares them for the workforce. The program helps men explore careers, prepare for interviews and learn more about career growth strategies.
“We want to ensure that we are providing opportunities for men who need a second, third, fourth chance, you know, that’s crucial,” said Larry Smith, Fathers and Families Centers CEO.
At the end of the program, participants can either apply for jobs or go through job certification programs, including construction training at the nonprofit’s new training center on the east side.
That’s what Plump is doing now.
“I learned how to build a house, the basics anyway,” Plump said. “You know, floor plans and things of that nature. And how to be a team player.”
At the construction training center, Fathers and Families Center offers another free three-week course. Participants learn safety skills and construction basics. Inside the center are tables for classroom instruction and space for hands-on training.
“It’s not level,” Plump said on a recent weekday morning as a group built a scaled version of an exterior wall — complete with framing, drywall and a window.
At the end of the course, Plump and other participants will receive two certifications through the National Center for Construction Education and Research and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Jeremy Jenkins, training development manager for Fathers and Families Center, said the organization will then connect graduates with a job.
Jenkins said the center has partnered with several local construction companies for job placements.
“They start with us, they finish with us and we carry them straight into a good paying, life altering job,” Jenkins said.
Participants are at the training center from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and receive a weekly $100 stipend.
Jenkins hopes the training center gives the men in the program hope.
“No matter what barriers they’ve got, no matter what the life circumstances are, above anything else, if you come here and you are hungry to work, we will put you to work, no questions asked,” Jenkins said. “Go through the process, go through the training and finish strong.”
At 17, Antonio Maye is the youngest member of the class. He’s also the father of a soon to be 6-month-old baby boy.
“I’ve been having a lot going on, so I joined the Fathers and Families Center,” Maye said. “My momma had a friend that actually went through the program, so she had me come up here.”
The center assisted Maye with obtaining a high school equivalency diploma and he’s now in the process of earning the construction certifications.
He said he’s in the program to help his son have a better future.
“I don’t want him to be in the same position I was in,” Maye said. “I want him to be able to have generational wealth so he don’t have to worry about anything.”
After the program ends, Maye plans to start working and get his own place.
For Plump, he’s looking forward to possibly starting his own business. He said completing the program will be a big accomplishment following the stroke.
“My children, you know, I think they’d be proud,” Plump said.
Sign up for the program
Learn more about the Fathers and Families Center and the construction training program here.
The program is currently only offered to people who have completed the Strong Fathers program, but Jenkins said the center has plans to open the classes to the public in the near future.
“We want this to be something that helps the community grow, because construction never stops,” Jenkins said.
Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian.