1. Share themselves and talents with the group as facilitators
2. Create safe place and environment for the support group
3. Social opportunities for support group members should be provided
4. Be flexible and react to the needs of participants
5. Use humor
6. Market the support group so new members are welcomed
7. Provide child care
8. Get overall community support for your support group
9. Be attuned to the support group so you know their state of readiness and recognize the "right time"
10. Connect with other groups in the community - vocational school (for classes), AIDs network, Extension service, prisons, schools, churches
11. Facilitators who are trained and are aware of grandparents raising grandchildren issues and concerns
12. Networking with other organizations who are doing other types of support groups
13. Use/share resources with other support group leaders
14. Connect members with resources in their county, both public and private
15. Support group facilitators need support system; develop mentoring opportunities
16. Remember that a support group is not therapy
17. Listening is important
18. A co-facilitator is a good idea
19. A support group facilitator should read materials and curriculums that might be used with a support group
20. Adapt materials for your support group
21. Get out of "meeting" framework
22. Recognize purpose of support group
23. Support grandchildren and grandparents raising grandchildren with additional activities
24. Recognize that some grandchildren will have special needs

This list was developed by the 35 participants of  The A, B, C's of Support Groups offered by the Wisconsin Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Partnership (1999)