Resources

Starting a self help group

Hosting a tinnitus self-help group requires a generous time commitment, compassion for others, curiosity about tinnitus, and a strong sense of responsibility. Whether your group meets monthly, every other month, or four times per year, you still must prepare the meetings so that people are introduced to positive ideas, valid information, and helpful speakers. The hard work, however, pays off with better-informed participants and helpful, spirited discussions about tinnitus.

The American Tinnitus Association strives to support Self-Help Groups and help them to be successful. ATA will send an email announcements out to people in your geographic area, help you brainstorm potential guest speakers in your area, and offer regular support to help group leaders on how to sustain and improve their groups.

ATA is committed to its self-help groups, but the groups remain independent. Many facets of your group are up to you and other participants to determine. The following are several areas where you will want to discuss your goals, your participants' needs, and what you and your group together determine is the most important components of your group.

Meeting Places

To start a group, you first need to find a good place to meet. Consider using rooms at public libraries, hospitals, colleges, churches, synagogues, health clubs, city recreation or senior centers, et cetera. Some large businesses and public buildings also have meeting rooms available. Many of these rooms are free to non-profit groups, but reservations usually must be made in advance. If you book a room and your plans change, call and cancel as soon as possible. ATA discourages in-the-home meetings.

Remember that when choosing a room, ambiance counts. Find a room that has good acoustics, comfortable chairs, and enough space to adequately fit the number of participants. Monitor temperature and lighting, too, so that people are comfortable.

Group Participation

Your group will be more successful if other group members feel responsible for its ongoing success. Ask for volunteers to help with various tasks to help lighten your workload and encourage their sense of ownership. Doing so ensures that many tasks are completed more quickly and can lead to one or more "back-up" leaders in case of time conflict, vacation, or illness. It also encourages taking advantage of people's skills. Some group members might be great researchers, others proficient in newsletter design. And still others might have a public relations background to help get local publicity.

Remember that number of attendees isn't everything. Some people may attend only once, having gotten the information and support they needed. Others just might not be motivated to attend regular meetings. The important thing to remember is that quality of the meeting matters far more than the quantity.

Group Structure

Groups choose different meeting schedules depending on the needs of the group. Typical schedules are monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly. The best way to figure out how often to meet is to ask participants during your first meeting. See The First Meeting for more suggestions on querying participants about their expectations for the meetings.

Meeting formats range can range even more. Many groups invite guest speakers to all meetings; other groups invite guest speakers to every other meeting. Groups hold discussions on recently-published books-much like a book club would-or the latest issue of Tinnitus Today. Sometimes, a group member is charged with looking up a specific scientific topic, then presenting back to the group.

A sample two-hour meeting would include a guest speaker presenting for thirty minutes on some topic related to tinnitus, then spending another thirty minutes on questions-and-answers with the audience. The second hour might consist of discussions on new tinnitus treatments or coping strategies group members have recently tried, group experiences with local healthcare professionals, or goals for the next month. See The First Meeting and Meeting Topics and Ideas for more suggestions.

Other Points to Consider

Some groups request financial assistance from participants to help cover the costs of room rentals (if any), newsletter publishing and distribution, and refreshments. Talk with your participants about this openly, and do not expect to assume all financial burden for running the meetings. A passed hat and sincere request can successfully encourage people to help support the group's success.

Finally, be flexible. If the first meeting place you select isn't the right size or conveniently located for the attendees, look for a more suitable place. If the group would seem to benefit from a looser-or more formal-structure, plan for the next time accordingly. If the materials covered at a meeting didn't meet the needs of the majority of people who attended, choose a new topic and approach for the next meeting. Remember that it's everyone's group - please show your willingness to respond to others' expectations for the group.

For more information please contact: Lisa Freeman, Manager of Member Services, 1–800-634-8978 Ext. 219 or lisa@ata.org