Support groups are one of the best hands on approaches to helping one another. Special needs homeschooling group are not that common though. While I could receive some support and encouragement from the local homeschooling groups, there were times at each meeting I felt completely outside the group. I just needed something different to help with our problems. I started a special needs homeschooling support group!
1. Send out an email, talk to the local support groups and co-ops, and your friends. Get an idea of who would be interested and take down their contact info. You could also as for suggestions on day, time, and where.
2. Set a time in stone! I chose the 3rd Saturday of the month 9-11. My thoughts on this were many special needs kids are hard to get babysitters, so dad or grandparents would be home.
3. Get some topics for the first couple of months. Find one that is wide based and leaves no one out. Then each month bring up a smaller topic that can really serve those coming, and encourage them to come! Such as we talked about the state law (wide subject) then about high school transitioning (smaller subject).
4. Dedicate your time knowing you may be the only one there...but you will come again next month! I faced that recently. I didn’t send a reminder out (another important thing!). We changed places, the first meeting of the year…. etc. and I was the only person. I am okay with that because I know this group is still badly needed.
5. Get the word out! Send out fliers, emails, send information to local churches that have homeschooling populations.
Special needs homeschooling support groups may not be large groups but we are NEEDED groups. Our lives are generally lived one step (or more) outside normal. It is incredibly relaxing to sit and talk with other parents dealing with many of the same issues.
Best of luck!!!
***Leave a comment and let me know about your special needs homeschooling support group. I am going to make a page that shows support groups all over the world. Please be sure to leave contact information and general information about your group!