After more than two decades of involvement - and recently stepping down as Chair – Sheila Ewart is taking a moment to reflect on the long road she’s walked with Kidz Need Dadz.
From the earliest meetings in community halls to the organisation it is today, Sheila has played a quiet but steady role in helping shape Kidz Need Dadz. Looking back, she recalls her original purpose clearly: “Educate the fathers, I suppose was my intent at the time,” she says.
Sheila’s involvement began even before the organisation was formally established nearly 25 years ago. She was there as it started to take shape - bringing structure, focus, and determination. When the group transitioned from the Union of Fathers to Kidz Need Dadz, Sheila helped guide the shift. “By that time, we were a lot less radical and actually had a relationship with the Family Court and the Ministry for Children,” she explains. That relationship-building was key to the organisation’s growth and its ability to make a lasting difference.
She also played a major role in formalising the group’s governance. “We had to set up a structure. So, we had a board, and I became the secretary. We put some rules in place and became incorporated. It was quite a process.”
Securing charitable status wasn’t easy either: “We had to apply for charitable status, and that took a while - because we were working with men, and that wasn't really seen as charitable at the time.” But Sheila persisted, knowing the work mattered and believing strongly in the mission.
“We got our first bit of funding, and used it for a speech craft course - something like Toastmasters - so the guys could get better at public speaking in front of a judge in Family Court." This initiative aimed to empower fathers with the confidence and skills needed to represent themselves effectively in court proceedings.
Beyond public speaking, Sheila and her team recognized the intimidating nature of courtroom environments. “We did court training where we had someone perched like a judge up on a raised platform... and we set it out like a court so that they knew what to expect when they walked into a courtroom.”
Such simulations were designed to familiarise fathers with the courtroom setting, reducing anxiety and promoting better self-representation.
"Oh, it's really scary when you go in there and there's two or three, maybe even four lawyers, and a judge, and your ex, and just you. It’s very intimidating.”
Reflecting warmly on the people she’s met along the way, Sheila says, “So many of the men were just good dads who wanted to be part of their children’s lives. You sometimes see people we helped 10 years ago or more, and you bump into them. Some of them come into the office and hand over $10 or $20 and say, ‘You know, this is to thank you for the help I received 10 or 15 years ago. I’ve turned my life around a lot.’”
And she’s proud of how far things have come: “We used to meet in church halls, pass the hat around for a gold coin donation. Now there’s staff, contracts, and families being supported properly. It’s come a long way.”
Sheila may be stepping away from the Chair role, but her impact is lasting. Her leadership helped shape the organisation from grassroots to nationally respected service, and her dedication has supported countless families through some of their most difficult times.