Your Association

WHO WE ARE - WHAT WE DO

Esther Lacoba - I run Introduction to Home Education meetings for parents in and around the greater Sydney area. If you can gather several interested families I would be happy to come to your home or local hall to present homeschooling to those in your area who may be thinking about their options for educating their children. ... read on

Beverley Paine. Pioneering members of the home education movement in Australia, Beverley and Robin Paine are passionate advocates of true educational choice for families. They began homeschooling their three now adult children in 1986 and three years later started the South Australian Home Based Learners network. Beverley writes and publishes several books and booklets on home education through her business, Always Learning Books, as well as maintaining an extensive collection of websites as well as several Yahoo groups supporting families teaching their children at home. Beverley supports the Home Education Association of Australia as a committee member.

Alicia Parker. I am truly passionate about home education and have been homeschooling for 3 years now, with my awesome husband and 3 precious children, aged 11, 7 and 4 years old. It has been an interesting and rewarding journey, which I have found has made me more aware of my children's talents and interests. We started when my eldest finished year 2 in school, and our family has experienced huge blessings from this decision.... read on

Guy Tebbutt lives near Penrith in NSW, has four children - three of whom are currently home schooled. Guy started home schooling at the end of 2009 and uses an eclectic type of learning mixing very disciplined structure for some subjects and then a completely relaxed approach for others. Guy joined the HEA in late 2009, became an ordinary committee member in March 2010 and has recently taken on the role of committee President. Guy also assists with advertising and Resource Directory activities.

Maaike Johnston lives near Mildura in Victoria. My two daughters are now 8 and 10 years old and have never been in school full time. We do have a partial enrolment arrangement with the small local school. I have been a HEA member for some time, started going to HS camps in 2008 and became a volunteer for the 1300 line last year. We also use an eclectic approach with Natural Learning as the main ingredient. I am new on the committee as of 2010.

Sharyn, the new HEA Secretary, lives in Sydney's southwest with her husband and three daughters. They have been homeschooling since December 2008 and are natural learners for the most part. Sharyn is new on the HEA committee but has been a member since 2005.

Sue Podger lives in Gladstone in Queensland, and started homeschooling 9 years ago while living in Gove in Northern Territory. She has four children who now are from 16 to 9 years old. She continues to oscillate between formal schooling methods and unschooling, though feels an unschooler at heart! She has been a member since early 2007 and joined the HEA committee in October 2009 as Treasurer.

Kathy White has been home educating since liberating her daughter (now 11) from Year 2 for a six-month break. That was four years ago, and they haven't looked back. Her son (now 8) tried school but quickly chose homeschooling. Kathy's family have evolved a flexible eclectic homeschooling style. Passionate about freedom in education and life-long learning, Kathy is currently studying Information Technology in education and finds current education theories support homeschooling practices and methods. She has just joined the 1300 team and the HEA committee, appreciating the opportunity to promote homeschooling and assist homeschoolers.

The Home Education Association Inc. (HEA) has been formed to support, promote and encourage the practice of home education.

The HEA has no affiliation with state education authorities and all members should note that privacy is an Association priority.

The broader objects of the HEA are as follows:

To uphold the principle that parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children.
To promote a broader awareness of Home Education and its benefits throughout Australia.
To promote and encourage the development of Home Education Networks.
To provide services and resources to Home Education Networks and individual home educators.
To endeavour to procure any rights, privileges, concessions or benefits relating to home education for home educators and their families.
To maintain a respect for the diversity of philosophies and methods used by Home Educators.

HEA Committee

The Home Education Association Committee is comprised of a number of home educating parents:

Esther Lacoba (President)
Sue Podger (Treasurer)
Beverley Paine (Publications Editor)
Alicia Parker
Kathy Parker

If you would like to contact the Committee then you can do so through the contact form.

The HEA Constitution contains further details about how the Association is administered. Click here to download a copy of the Rules of Association. If your computer has trouble reading this file then click here for help.

Services / Benefits

While individuals and home education groups will still run their own affairs, we see the HEA as an umbrella organization offering benefits to home educators which are difficult for smaller networks and individuals to achieve.

These are the sort of things your membership helps to provide to the home educating community:

A website kept updated, and phone and email answering network service, to answer questions from enquiring and new home schoolers, the media and researchers.
Lifting the profile of home education in the political arena by letter writing at opportune times.
HEA produces promotional material. Contact the office if you can distribute brochures promoting homeschooling in your local area.
Discounts to all HEA events and many education Service Providers. as well as an annual Resource Directory (free to members).
Aides for support groups to run introductory evenings in local areas.
Parent courses in getting started and overcoming burnout are also run regularly by home schoolers qualified in both many years of personal experience and in adult education. These are available on CD for those unable to attend the courses.
Regular newsletter and bi-monthly online magazine for HEA members
Communication across state borders on issues relevant to all home schoolers. The HEA website lists support groups and contacts by state, and hosts discussion forums. News items and articles relevant to home schoolers are published on the site.
Insurance was the driving force in setting up the Association. Most groups require insurance to run conferences and to be able to hire halls. Broadform liability covers HEA members and their families for legal liability associated with any HEA activity. We also have an accident insurance policy for those who organize activities, and work experience cove for teenagers.
As you use your HEA membership card you will be promoting home schooling as a legitimate educational alternative to museums and bookstores offering education discounts.
HEA also produces resources developed by members to help you confidently homeschool: available from the HEA Shop.

Membership

Membership is available to all home educating families in Australia. The cost of membership is $50 per family per year, plus a $10 joining fee for new or expired members.

Click here to find out more about becoming a member.