Are your present members reluctant to recommend your group? If so, why?
Have you notified local professionals that your group is available? Many professionals who work with parents would love to have a flyer or contact name to offer when faced with a distraught, stressed out, or overwhelmed parent. Professionals to consider are: doctors, case managers, special education or other school staff, preschool or early intervention programs, hospital social workers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and vocational rehabilitation workers.
Have you utilized the local public service announcement system? These are usually free and can be done in newspapers, on the radio, or on local access cable networks. Be sure to focus not only on the where, what and when of your group but also on the benefits your group can offer such as:
- Providing on-going support
- Helping in times of crisis
- Sharing positive coping strategies
- Helping focus anger and energy in positive ways
- Sharing information, ideas and resources
- Providing training for parents to increase skills
- Help in dealing with educational, medical and other service agencies
- The opportunity to relieve loneliness and form new friendships
