Supporting Dunedin’s home educating families and building our community since 2003
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About Us
Ōtepoti Dunedin Homeschoolers is a supportive and inclusive community for homeschooling families in the Otago region. Our goal is to create an environment where families can connect, learn from each other, and grow together.
Our group collaborates to create a range of educational and social opportunities which support the varied needs and curiosities of our home educating families. We have a diverse range of interests and values, and our shared aim is to foster a love of learning in our children.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
Our Vision
At Ōtepoti Dunedin Homeschoolers, we believe that home education is a viable and valuable educational choice, and we work to support homeschooling as an option for families in our community.
Above all, we are a community of families who share a common goal: to provide the best possible education for our children. We believe that by working together, we can create a supportive and enriching learning environment that nurtures the unique talents and abilities of each child.
Who Are We?
Our group is a supportive and inclusive space for homeschooling families of Ōtepoti-Dunedin to connect and thrive.
Our community embraces people from a variety of cultural and spiritual backgrounds, including LGBTQ+ and neurodiverse families.
We honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and stand in solidarity with movements for justice.
We are committed to fostering an environment of respect, safety, and belonging for all. We celebrate diversity and expect all members to uphold these values in their interactions.
If you share our commitment to kindness and inclusivity, we’d love to have you here!
E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi, he toa takitini.
My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective.
Our events are in general open to all homeschoolers – membership to our Events page requires you to be homeschooling and within our region, whether you live here or are travelling through.
Different events may have guidelines as to who is able to attend based on age and other criteria, at the individual organiser’s discretion.
What We Do
Ōtepoti Dunedin Homeschoolers is an informal collective of home-schooling families wanting to meet up for activities and support in and around Dunedin, New Zealand.
Our activities range from very small, informal activities like board game afternoons to larger events like seasonal celebrations or educational sessions.
Any authenticated member is welcome to schedule an event or class – no one is “in charge” of Ōtepoti Dunedin Homeschoolers, we are simply a group of parents doing what needs done.
Our activities fall into a few categories – Juniors, Over 10’s, All ages, ODH community events, as well as the wider homeschool community and public activities.
Our History
We were previously known as “SHEAF – Supporting Home Education Among Families” and we would like to honor the people that came before us, and paved the way for what our community is today.
How to get involved
There is no official membership, but we like to meet people in person before adding you to our networking for the safety of all our children.
Opportunities to take part in activities are mainly found by joining us through this website, where all our activities are organised and advertised, including our monthly adults meeting which new parents are strongly encouraged to come along and meet us!
When you become a member, you start with the tag “NEW” and the events you can see and attend are limited to those held at public spaces.
Once you have met some community members, you will be upgraded to a full member and you can see and attend all our events.
This is to keep our children safe, both yours and ours, and to cherish whanau homes that are hosting event. This also keeps it more comfortable for new people to join us in a relaxed public setting.
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