Set up a homeschool group!
Having a community for support, fun, organised activities, and connections is so important when home educating. Most regions of NZ have some type of social group whether it is a large regional group or smaller local group. It’s also really common for two or three families to create their own informal group and get together regularly.
Many home educators report that having a like-minded community has made the greatest difference in their home education journey.
These collectives are set up for a variety of purposes and to meet a range of needs. Some are fully inclusive, some have a particular philosophy/ideology, and some are for home educators who follow a specific curriculum. Creating a national online networking group is quite a different process to creating a local support group. A national networking group will rely heavily on social media to connect, whereas a local group may find that face-to-face interactions are more important.
Family Groups
Many homeschoolers naturally create an informal group with another one or two families, where connections occur between the adults as well as the children. They meet at each others’ homes, at local parks, beaches, lakes, and local community facilities. We discuss how to go about making these types of connections in our article here.
Local/Regional Groups
This guide offers some best practice ideas for anyone who is planning to set up a local/regional support group or for those already operating a group. These suggestions have come from successful and long-standing regional and local groups in Aotearoa NZ, compiled into a Groups Guide by NCHENZ.
If you have not managed to find a group in your area that meets your needs, consider starting your own group. The chances are that you are not the only one looking. Practically all of the local and regional groups started small, with a few families and a shared goal. Post online and see who else is keen to join you. It can also be a good idea to put notices up at places such as the library, supermarket, community noticeboards, etc.
National Online Networking Groups
There are already a lot of online networking groups, so first check to see if a group already meets your needs before you set up another one. If you do decide that a gap exists for a group to serve a particular type of homeschooler, setting up an online networking group is pretty simple. Many home educators use social media and the first question is … which platform you want to set the group up on. Whatever platform you use, make sure you understand the settings and how they impact who can find your group and how people join.
In establishing your group, ask yourself:
What is the purpose of the group?
Who is the group for? (adults/kids? what type of homeschooler? can non-homeschoolers join?)
How will people join?
Do you need to know anything about those who wish to join, before they join the group?
Are any topics off-limits?
Can members upload photos, files, or video calls? Can members start discussions, ask for opinions, or sell things? Can members advertise activities and events? Is it okay to promote a business?
How will discord/conflict be handled?
How much time do you want to spend on moderation/admin?
Who else might help you admin?
You also might need some group rules. Common rules for homeschool groups include:
The type of person the group caters to
What can be discussed and what can’t
The group’s stance on personal business promotions
A statement about being kind if perspectives are shared that a member disagrees with
How information should be kept confidential to the group, particularly if members may be sharing personal details about their lives
