Getting the Most out of Your ACHEV Membership – Step Two: Step Up!

Now that you have begun to settle into some semblance of a school routine, it’s time to step up. That may sound scary, but I assure you it is not. I know from many years of experience, routines can look great on paper, but sometimes they don’t play out quite as we imagined in real life! Isn’t that also part of the beauty of home education? We can re-evaluate and make adjustments as needed.

In our first post of this series, we shared the simple truth that participation is a big part of getting the most out of your membership, and that in just showing up, the blessing often flows both ways. Showing up is a good thing. However, in order for an all-volunteer group to have anything to show up to, we need to be ready to step up.

As a child, do you remember taking huge leaps to make big steps? As a parent sometimes we take baby steps to keep pace with a child just learning to walk. My point is there are different sized steps. Baby steps, strolling, brisk walking, big leaps… all of these steps are part of life at various times. We start small and grow!

To keep ACHEV vital, everyone in ACHEV needs to step up. We need big and little steps.

If all you can manage is a baby step right now, then sign up for something really small, such as bringing a plate of cookies to the science fair, or coming a few minutes early to help set up for an event.

If you have been in ACHEV a while and find something you love, such as field trips, or certain events, small groups, anything, consider taking a bigger step up. For instance, if there is an event that you love and would miss if nobody volunteered, take a bigger step by offering to assist the coordinator so that you can learn how to lead that event in another year. Perhaps you have a talent or skill that would benefit others – lead a small ACHEV group on your own terms to enrich your own homeschool and bless other families.

Here’s a quick testimony about how God stretched me to step up. I had gotten busy with my little ones and had fallen into a routine. I realized I had stopped participating and started to notice our whole family was getting lonely and tired. I felt like a failure! I began to feel convicted that I was wasting my membership. I either needed to not be in a homeschool group, or I needed to start showing up and pitch in a little. I prayed and resolved to respond to volunteer opportunities. I ended up responding to the need for a librarian. (This was back in the day when tubs of books and videos were brought to Skating Plus every month.) I didn’t realize it at the time, but this small duty was exactly what our family and homeschool needed! It got us to show up at Skate Day every month. We made friends. I was not just blessing ACHEV by taking on a job – our whole family was blessed in return. I had thought we were too busy for Skate Day, but by making it a monthly priority we could plan around, we did it, and made incredible memories my kids still talk about as adults.

We are all busy. That’s just part of life. However, if we are honest, we really do have the luxury of being in charge of our homeschool and family routines. I encourage you to pray about how you might step up, not only to help ACHEV stay strong, but to get the most out of your membership. God gives us the right amount of time to do the things He wants us to do.

Practical steps you can do right now:

• Read the volunteer section of the monthly newsletter. Pray, then inquire.
• Think about what you already love to do and offer it to ACHEV. If you want to visit a museum, learn how to plan a simple field trip! We have leadership to help guide you.
• Think about what you need. ACHEV can help! One way to find support is Our Groups within our Group document.

ACHEV is a vital and active group, and we rely on everyone to volunteer in some capacity in order to continue to thrive. Every “step up” will benefit the whole group and bless your family. Many hands makes work light!

Whether you are new or long-time member, enjoy our Overview of ACHEV blog series. It covers our founding, purpose, structure, and roles.

Stay tuned for – Step Three: A Step in Faith!