Being part of a support group can be a very rewarding experience, with wide ranging benefits for everyone involved. Below are our recommendations for deciding if a group suits you.
Feel free to get in touch with your local Parent to Parent branch for information on joining one of our Parent to Parent run support groups throughout New Zealand.
A support group generally, is a group of people who come together to support one another through shared experience.
Support groups give their members a chance to meet people with common experiences or concerns, to exchange advice and information, offer emotional and moral support, and even participate in social activities together.
When caring for a family member with a disability or a health impairment most of the attention is focused on helping them but as parents and caregivers, we also need support to cope with our own feelings and frustrations and remind ourselves that we are not alone. One way to do this is to talk with others who understand because they are in a similar position.
Research has shown that support groups help parents feel understood, provide emotional support, a sense of belonging and affirms that they have valuable information to exchange about parenting.
Parents involved in support groups report increased self-esteem and appraise themselves and their family situations more positively. Networking with other parents offers the opportunity to gain practical information on how to navigate institutional barriers and access external resources.
Support groups can also become a platform for advocacy and empowerment. Being part of a support group provides opportunities not only to gain support, but also to help others.
It is helpful to start with a clear picture of the type of support group you would like to join. Consider whether you want a group that focuses on a specific demographic.
It is helpful to start with a clear picture of the type of support group you would like to join.
Consider, whether you want a group that focuses on a specific demographic. For example, parents/ care givers of children:
Does the support group have consistent meeting
times and at a location that you are able to attend.
If not is there another local group that would suit
you better, or an online group?
The most effective support groups are those that uplift members by providing long-term fulfilment of their social and emotional needs. A good support group should provide a space for mutual support as opposed to frustration venting. While a space for venting frustration can be valuable for many parents and caregivers, these groups tend to have high turnover and be shorter-lived.
We recommend attending a support group several times before deciding if it is the right one for you. It also helps to remind yourself that every group can have ‘off’ days every now and then.
Often one of the hardest parts of the process of finding a support group can be making that step to attend the support group for the first time. It might help to remind yourself that everyone finds attending a group for the first time difficult.
Even if we enjoy the group and have been attending for a while it can be easy to find excuses to keep us from going, especially when we are feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
However, a support group can become a valuable part of your support network so it is worth trying to figure out how you can get there!
Being part of a support group can be a very rewarding experience, with wide ranging benefits for everyone involved.
Feel free to get in touch with your local Parent to Parent office or call us on 0508 236 236 for information on joining one of our Parent to Parent run support groups throughout New Zealand.
