FINDING & VETTING THE PERFECT WORLDSCHOOL HUB FOR YOUR FAMILY
How many Worldschool hubs are available in 2023?
Too many in my opinion!!
It can be hard to find the right experience for you and your children, because not all hubs are created equally.
As a co-owner of the Luxor Learning Hub in Egypt, a thriving community in its 2nd year and a 10 year travel mum and educator, who previously has experience in running education projects In Bali, France and the UK, I have a good working knowledge of educational experiences.
For families embarking on their next worldschooling adventure, finding the right Worldschool hub can make all the difference to having a successful and enriching experience.
It's essential to ask the right questions before booking a hub experience and In this blog post, we will explore what exactly is a Worldschool hub and provide a comprehensive list of questions to help you find the perfect fit for your family.
Before we dive into our top tips, let's answer the big question...
“What is a Worldschool Hub?”
In essence a hub is a gathering of traveling families in a location, either organically or attending an organised program.
A worldschool hub is a community-based center that provides educational and social opportunities for traveling families.
It serves as a temporary base where families can connect with like-minded individuals, participate in group activities, and access resources to enhance their worldschooling journey.
Hubs can offer a range of educational programs, cultural experiences, and community support to enrich the learning and personal growth of both children and parents.
Lastly, hubs can be very different in delivery & costs, time and commitment. So do your research!!
Let's jump into the questions you should ask yourself & questions you should ask the hub organiser before booking.
TOP QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF
#1 Do you want to join an established community?
Most hubs on offer in 2023 are new one off experiences, where people are either living for a temporary amount of time or a local living in a location long term, who feel the location would be a good spot for a gathering of traveling families.
If you are looking for more established hubs, who have a track record of hosting Worldschool families then look for hubs with a track record, reviews and who are further along in their hub journey.
The Hubs & Community Events Group on Facebook is establishing a current list of working hubs. This is the most up-to-date list available to my knowledge.
#2 Do you need to work or have supervised care?
Not all hubs offer a paid education provision and some expect you to be on site with your child when activities take place. If you are looking to work while traveling, then a paid educational hub experience will offer consistent free time in an organised program. Our hub offers 16-20 hours of educational workshops per week, which gives families opportunity to work or have some breathing space.
#3 Are you looking for a whole family experience or just a program for your child?
This is really important. If you are looking for a community based experience for the whole family you need to ask the hub provider what family based activities are available.
It may be a child focused hub, which has no organised adult activities and people are free to make their arrangements with the group of families.
#4 Value vs financial investment
What is being offered in comparison to your financial investment? Some hubs have a low price tag which gives you access to the community, a chat group like on WhatsApp and an Itinerary to follow, but everything else you will have to organise and pay for yourself. What does the fee cover? Is Accommodation included? Is there a full activity program? Are you getting local access to experiences which are less touristy?
It's important you understand what is included in the fee and what isn't included.
#5 Organic vs paid programs
Are you just looking to stay somewhere where there is a larger concentration of traveling families and join organic meet up’s and playdates or are you looking for a more organised gathering of families, over a fixed period of time, which guarantees regular gatherings and activities?
I've been travelling for 10 years and my experience is organic meet ups are not as consistent and community spirited as I had hoped.
Yes you can definitely meet families organically, but sometimes you and your children can feel lonely and this is ok. Just be aware paid hub communities are very diffrent to park dates or play dates.
#6 Budget & living costs
Have you factored in the living costs for your chosen hub destination? Have you checked plane ticket costs, visa costs, transport costs, added day trips and most importantly accommodation costs? Is accommodation Included? Will you need to look for your own accommodation and will you receive help in finding accommodation for your family? Will accommodation be communal or in separate apartments? What extra costs like internet, bills, medical care in case of emergencies are expected?
#7 What do I want to get from the experience?
Do you want to settle into an immersive life of living among other families in a semi organised or organised setting or are you looking to move fast and visit places of interest during your stay? Are you wanting to learn more about the culture of the country and have a more immersive experience or are you just looking to rest and enjoy some new travel friends?
#8 What other activities are available?
Are you looking to have access to childrens local activities or modern conveniences like good internet or city services or do you want to have access to a particular way of living and can the location support your expectations?
Before you go searching for the perfect hub experience, be clear about what it is you want to gain from the experience and then have fun researching your next hub destination.
WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK THE HUB?
This part of the process is really important as not all hubs are created equally. It's important you ask the right questions, which will help you make the right decision for your next hub experience.
Hub organisers are mostly mums and dads, just like you, so you want to make sure the experience is well planned and suits your family expectations.
Before you even speak to a Hub organiser, read all the information available to you about who they are and the experience on offer.
Is there a website? Read reviews and look at their social media channels to check their past experience or any lnformation available for you to read.
Don’t just read one social media post and base your decisions on that and their clever marketing. I know, I’m a hub organiser and I know how enticing a good post with beautiful images can be.
#1 How long has the hub been running?
If the hub is a new experience? If yes, then the following questions will be really important for your research. Make sure the hub organisers have the capacity and experience to create and hold a Worldschool community.
#2 Who are the hub orgnaisers?
These would be my first research questions. Get to know your hosts and what experience they have in the destination, organising education programs, activities and running a community. Who are they as people? Do they have Worldschool experience? What are their children?
Make sure you book a call with your hub host to get to know them better and answer all your questions.
#3 How many families have attended the hub in the past?
How was their first hubs? Ask more than one previous hub family for their opinion about the experience and seek out any reviews. We have 30+ reviews of our hub experiences and it really helps families feel confident when booking.
#4 What does a typical day look like at the hub?
If an itinerary is available great, as this will give you a great idea of the daily activities, but especially if it is a new hub, what will the day to day rhythm be? I would definitely book a call with the organisers to discuss your questions and get a good idea of how the hub is run, who runs the activities and what are the expected activities for you and your family.
#5 What ages is the hub aimed at? How many children are booked in your child's age range?
A hub may have a younger focus or be aimed more at teens and tweens. If you are looking for a community for your children, it's important to ask how many children have booked in that age range now and previously.
#6 Where is the hub setting?
Is the hub set in a public building where other people have access or is it in a private space? Is the space suitable for children and are there spaces for the children to socialise and play? Is the space child friendly and safe?
#7 What experience do the hub organisers have in running an education program?
Who will lead the activities and does the organiser have professional experience in running child friendly workshops? How professional a set up is the hub and do the orgnisers pay any additional staff to work within the hub program. Have the hub organisers run an experience like this before in a larger group setting?
#8 What is the expected number of people and children who will book?
This is a good one if you are looking for a medium to larger concentration of families for you and your children. If you book early, do you have confidence that the hub will book more children & families? What is the cancellation policy?
#9 What is your vibe vs what is their tribe?
If you are planning on spending extended periods of time in a location as part of a community, then you want to make sure you share some commonalities with the other families. This is where part one of the vetting process is important because you need to know what you want from the experience. Some hubs have an interview process and some hubs will be less selective, so be clear on your expectations.
#10 What does your fee cover?
This is really important to clarify before parting with your money. Make sure you know all the inclusions and get estimated costs for extras. A hub should be very clear what the fee covers. It it looks complicated, it may be the organisers are not sure either. So confirm before you book.
#11 Where is the hub located in comparison to points of interest?
If you are looking to fit in some trips, you need to check how easy and accessible these will be from your hub location and what spare time you will have. Some locations may not be near points of interest so planning your “to do list” before you book will help you make a good plan.
#12 Is the hub connected to the local community?
Is the hub experience adding to the local community? Are they connected to the local people or are they tourists in the country? I feel it's important a hub is run in a way that brings an income to the local people. Our hub brings thousands of pounds of income to the local community and our fees go to working with local vendors and staff. Traveling in a conscious way is an important part of the journey, so choose an experience that brings connection to the local people.
#13 Ask around for feedback?
If a hub has run before, they will have people willing to share their experience. Find them and ask questions. I would not book a hub, without checking with past attendees.
We have been running our Luxor Learning Hub project coming up to 3 years in March 2024 and that will be our 15 hub in Egypt.
We came during the pandemic, when no Worldschoolers were spending extended periods in Egypt and not in the West Bank of Luxor.
We are so proud of what we have built in this time and paved the way for other worldschool hubs to be birthed here in Egypt.
Happy Travelling!
If you are looking for a list of hubs join hereHubs & Events Group.
Established Hubs
Bankso Worldschool Hub (Bulgeria)
Wanderlust Worldschool (Australia)