Starting a Family History Group

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I'm going to throw this out there and see if anyone has some suggestions.

The area I live in doesn't have a family history group, it has a local history group and that is all. While I'm a member of the local history group it isn't my cup of tea and I won't renew my membership. I do belong to a couple of other groups that I really enjoy.

What I'm thinking about is starting a family history group in my area and would like ideas on how to make this happen etc. It won't be until the New Year and I am going to talk to the local/family history librarian at the library as well.

Things like; How to organise speakers?  Weekly/fortnightly/ monthly? Fees? Newsletter?

Comments

  1. Fiona Tellesson29 October 2013 at 23:24

    Hi Lilian - Can you approach your local council or community group centre, as well as the local library? There may well be a lot of other people who would enjoy this as an interest to get into. We will not tell them how addictive it will become yet, will we?!? There are local community grants available and also State Government and even Federal Government grants which can be obtained. Of course it takes work, but the reward is so worth it. I assisted a local senior sporting group to obtain a State Government grant of $50,000 so I know it can be done.

    I have started a community online and it is getting there bit by bit...so it doesn't all happen overnight and it is a lot of work...but so worth while. Good luck - Cheers, Fiona T

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  2. Tessa Keough30 October 2013 at 02:48

    You might want to try to gauge interest before applying for grants and the rest. Who do you know that might be interested? Have a planning meeting with those people /AND put up simple flyers at places that might generate interest (the library or archives, the historical society, community colleges, parent/student groups, churches, grocery stores, etc.). If you could get a group of 6 who could help you plan - any interest, who could speak and use your own members first and start small, if you could use YouTube or video presentations that are available, and go online at places like FGS and check out what is available about societies to the public (while you are starting small - who knows how it will grow).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lilian's Tree30 October 2013 at 07:05

    Thank you both for your advice. I have approached the local council and the family history librarian has a list of people also interested in a group. Once I hear back from council with a go ahead, I'll put adds in the local paper. I didn't know about grants, so will look into them. If council says no, then I will start an online group. Will keep you posted.

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