Not everyone can meet in person, and online groups are a great way to bring kinship carers together. Find out more about how you can use Zoom to get your peer support group started.
Section 3D: Finding a venue for your kinship peer support group
If your kinship peer support group is going to meet in person, it should be somewhere easy to access and welcoming. This section will help you find a venue that works for your group.
Finding the right space for your peer support group
What venues work well for support groups?
As your kinship peer support group is meeting in-person, there may be local spaces near you where your group could meet for free or little cost.
This video shares suggestions on how to find the best venue, including some examples from other group leaders.
Duration: 2mins 46 secs
Venues to explore
Hear anything useful in the video that made you think of a place you know? Here are some other spaces to consider for your peer support group:
- community centres
- Sure Start centres
- libraries
- school halls (out of hours)
- town halls
- sports centres
- coffee shops / supermarket cafes
- council meeting rooms
These are just some of the options. Maybe you know other spaces in your community to explore.
Why is the venue you choose so important?
The venue you choose shows how you consider the needs of other kinship carers, as well as your needs too.
Thinking about the location, things to think about include – how accessible it is, can you talk openly and does it ‘feel’ right. If you start with these it will mean that your group is available to as many kinship carers in the area as possible. When we say ‘talk openly’ we mean are you able to have private and sensitive conversations within the group if you want to. The venue also needs to work for you as group leader and how you want to run the group.
This section works through everything you need to know, with some great tips on finding the right venue for your group including a downloadable venue checklist.
Tips for finding a venue for your peer support group
If have an idea for some venues that could work for the group, you will need to think about whether they’re suitable for your group.
Here are some questions and tips to think about:
- Does the venue have a quiet or private space where you can share experiences undisturbed?
- Is there access to a kitchen to make hot drinks or somewhere to buy refreshments?
- What about toilets, and is there an accessible toilet?
- If you are meeting in a public place, like a cafe, how accessible is it?
- Is there enough space and access for a wheelchair, and are there any steps that someone with a walking stick might struggle with?
- Does a venue serve alcohol, will that put some members off? Likewise, a church hall may not be welcoming to those of different religious beliefs.
- Is the venue on a public transport route? Does it have car parking nearby?
You need to balance your group’s needs with available venues in your local area. For example, a venue may offer you free hire, but it may not meet everyone’s needs.
What would you do in this situation? There is no right or wrong answer. Sometimes, when you’re starting out, you cannot get everything on your wish list. So make the best choice you can and other options may come up later on.
Peer support group venue checklist
It’s really important to visit a venue before you commit to one. It’s a chance to get a feel for the space and how it would work for the group.
We’ve created a handy venue checklist for when you visit a venue to see if it could work for your group.
Feel free to download and use this checklist however works for you.
If you’re visiting more than one venue, it can be helpful to complete one for each venue so you can compare them easily to help make your decision.
What if I need to change the venue?
Things can change and it’s ok to change venues. You might start your group in a local café. It’s a free space and the price of a coffee is ok. But as the group grows, it’s a bit of a squeeze. This is an example where you might want to consider finding another venue.
You might also need to move if your venue closes or changes its availability.
If you are changing your venue, some things you should consider:
- give everyone notice – make it clear to the group that you are looking at other venue options and why (this might impact on where and when the group meets)
- bring the group into decision making – discuss all options with the group at the next meeting (maybe you could ask others to help with venue options)
- bring everyone with you – some members might not attend every session. It’s really important to share any changes with everyone (this is where a WhatsApp group is useful to share information outside of a group session)
- promoting the group – if you have used posters or promoted the group around the community, be aware that the old venue could have been shared (that information needs to be updated so any new kinship carers know where to go)
Other support from Kinship
Here at Kinship, we offer a range of free support for all kinship carers, including workshops, online advice and information, and peer support groups.
Contact our advice service to speak to an adviser or book an appointment.