Home learning community groups are an essential part of many homeschool families’ lives. They are support groups where members work together to enrich the learning experience for their children. Parents coordinate field trips and activities, creating regular social opportunities, and organize annual events like picnics, holiday parties, fairs, and craft days. Many community groups also manage local online forums for exchanging ideas and encouraging one another.
Community groups are particularly important to registered homeschoolers, who are finding their options for in-person learning days increasingly limited. Starting this year, only enrolled online learners are permitted in community classes at HCOS. The school’s policy followed those of other home learning giants, leaving families of registered homeschoolers scrambling to find other options. Since educational institutions are no longer welcoming registered homeschoolers to their in-person classes, it is time for registered homeschoolers to find or make their own learning communities.
In this article we highlight a few of the many thriving home learning support groups across the province and invite you to tell us about yours. But first, here’s a primer on the terms “enrolled online learner”, “registered homeschooler”, and “home learner” according to Section 12/13 of the BC School Act.
An “enrolled online learner” is a student in the government-funded school system. “Enrolled online learners” have a choice of many online schools, and meet the learning outcomes of the BC Curriculum. A “registered homeschooler” has opted out of the BC education system, with parents or caregivers maintaining full autonomy and responsibility over the learning programme offered to the child. “Home learner” is an umbrella term applying to both “enrolled online learners” and “registered homeschoolers”. If you’re new to home learning, the terminology is confusing at best, but we promise it gets better once you can distinguish between these terms!
Most learning communities welcome both registered homeschoolers and enrolled online learners. They bring together home learning families who all want something different than brick and mortar. Here are just a few examples of the many active learning support groups for home learners in BC.
South Delta Home Learners (SDHL) on the lower mainland has been going strong for over three decades. We spoke with Katrina Jantzen, a recently ‘graduated’ homeschooling parent, about what makes SDHL so long-standing. The group, she says, is kept afloat by parents who have the heart to volunteer and to make things happen and by the families who actively choose to participate. They host annual camping trips, science fairs, history days, moms’ nights out, and many smaller interest groups.
Lake District BC Homeschoolers & Online Learners is a place where families in the lakes district can reach out for connection, curriculum swaps, and events. Since the Lakes District in northern BC is fairly large, there are a few different pods within it.
This group helps connect people to the closest learning community. Local businesses such as the library are also part of the group, and share upcoming events and club meetings. When Kat Northrop, now an admin, moved to the area in 2022, she found this group an amazing way to meet other homeschoolers.
Victoria Homeschool HangOut: This all-age group includes weekly meet-ups, special interest groups, and online forums. Join them for field trips and special events such as science fairs, LARPing, and multicultural celebrations. Victoria Homeschool Hangout is an inclusive place welcoming registered homeschoolers, enrolled online learners, and those interested in home learning.
Okanagan Home Learners is a group for home learners in the Okanagan who are looking to engage with other homeschool families about learning at home. The group has over 2.8K members and has been steadily growing. If you’re new to the area, visit their facebook page and start making connections! There are ample meet-ups, field trips, and workshops for students, particularly those in middle school.
Prince George BC Homeschoolers is a group with over 1.2K members and a fourteen-year history of bringing together home learners in BC’s northern capital. “All of us started home learning because of our values”, says Jenn Matthews, an admin of the group. “Since our group is so diverse, these values are sometimes opposite to those of other home learners in the group, but there’s a space for everyone. You’re affirmed, seen, and welcomed, and you get what you’re looking for.” Mostly the group is used for grassroots organizing to create opportunities for families to learn and play together.
The above groups (and many more!) can be found on facebook. They are also listed on the BCHEA website by navigating to “BC Homeschooling Support Groups”. In the coming months, we’ll be updating the groups, and we need your help. Please complete this survey to tell us about your local support group.
If there aren’t any home learning community groups where you are, consider starting one yourself. You would be surprised how quickly a group of just two or three families can grow into a thriving community! You can begin right in your own neighbourhood. Younger children will have a great time at playground meet-ups. On rainy days, the perfect opportunity to connect might be at the local library or recreational centre. Many homeschooling families also find lasting friendships and strong community through extracurricular activities like sports, dance, music classes, or church. Each season of life presents new opportunities, demands, priorities, and circumstances. What worked well one year might not be effective the next. We wish you all our very best on the path to finding your community!