|
| | How To Start Your Own Support Group | |
| By Shay Seaborne
No comfortable homeschooling support group in your area? Take heart! You can start one very easily, on a shoestring. Here is how FOLC was started in the fall of 1997, when 3 other moms and I couldn't find a support group that served our needs.
Our earliest task was to define what we wanted—which turned out to be very important in staying with our vision, when it was questioned by newcomers. (Click here for nice article on keeping to your vision.)
We chose a name and began to spread the word. I made a one-page flier, announcing our group, giving an idea of its “flavor,” and providing contact information. The name and contact information are repeated in tear-off tabs along the bottom of the paper. These have proven popular with for busy homeschool parents.Each month, I take copies of the flier to the library. For greater coverage at slightly more cost, post the fliers at area bulletin boards at community centers, groceries, gymnastics and dance studios, karate dojos, bagel bakeries—any place that be frequented by children. I keep a small stack of fliers—and some tape—in my car, for impromptu postings.The first- and easiest place to promote has also been our best exposure: the public library system. Our friendly library system happily distributes fliers to each of the 10 branches in the system. We also listed the group in our library system’s computer database of area organizations.
Another way to obtain low-cost publicity is through the Calendar of Events listings in local newspapers. The latest promotional help I have found is the CapWiz “Media” feature at Congress.org Enter your ZIP, select the media you wish to reach, insert your press release, hit “send” and you reach multiple media at once!The web has been a big part of our success. Express Page offers free, easy-to-use space. (To make one, scroll down and click at the bottom of this page.) Or, for wider options, execute a Google www.google.com search for other free hosts. See A-2-Z Home's Cool for tips on creating your own site.The website saves answering those same questions over and over; I simply point folks to the site and tell them they're welcome to call me back if they still have questions. If you'd like an easy and free way to manage your support group mailing list, sign up at YahooGroups .
FOLC meets--for free-- in the underutilized library community room. Noise can be a problem, so we ask that kids bring something quiet to do, which usually gives us an hour of “official” meeting time.
Our monthly meetings are usually roundtable discussions. Topics are chosen by those members attending the prior month's meeting. For instance, one month 3 people wrote ideas on the "Meeting Topics?" column in the sign-in sheet. One wrote "Preschoolers," another "Ideas for Teens," and a third, "Teaching Mixed Ages." So our next topic was "Homeschooling Various Ages; preschoolers, teens and mixed groups." Such a meeting format takes little preparation on the part of the coordinator.
Our first year we had a weekly playground date, which got things rolling. Now there are several Play & Learn groups, and folks get together as they meet each other and find common interest.
Our field trips are as-planned. Some folks in the group plan many, some a few, and others have never planned any group activity. It works out fine most of the time; we usually have something going. For the first year, though, I found I had to pour myself into the group and plan a large portion of the activities. People had to see what can be done, and needed encouragement. I don't worry about a lack of activities now; the members are responsible for the group's activities.
Starting your own group can be very rewarding. Give it a try! |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
