What purposes do the groups serve?

A group can serve whatever purpose your SDE community wants or needs. Some possibilities we have seen include: local advocacy projects, parent support groups, networking meetups, book clubs, and family field trip days.

What is the time commitment?

The time commitment is really up to you and the needs of your group. Consider starting with 1-2 meetings a month. For more support, ASDE recommends that the group organizer attend an online meeting between other organizers and the ASDE Community Manager, once every several months, which we will organize.

Are there other people in my area interested in SDE?

You can search for other ASDE members in your area by going to our member search page.

Other good resources for finding people in your area are posting on the ASDE Local Groups forum, and checking out members of ASDE’s Facebook page.

Can my learning center be a group?

ASDE’s local SDE groups initiative is intended to support grassroots coalition building. Requiring a group’s members to be paid members of your learning center may support your internal coherence building and consciousness raising, but such financial and membership requirements exclude from the group the very people needed in light of the initiative’s goal. We’re glad for your center to use our Resource Directory in support of your events for community members, and we’re grateful for centers that offer their spaces and leadership for hosting local groups (Yay for coalition-building! Also please remember to include accessibility notes in your invitations!) For us to offer guidance and support to a group as part of this initiative, we do expect the group to not require payment or center membership from participants.

What is the difference between a local contact and a local SDE group?

Local SDE group organizers are the main contact and organizing force for their groups. They plan and organize meetings and are responsible for the formation of the group.

Still have questions? Contact our Community Manager at bria@self-directed.org