Jo Sweetland

(Bsc Hons Occupational Therapy, Ph.D Rehabilitation)

Jo worked as an Occupational Therapist for twenty years, specialising in helping people with neurological conditions regain their independence. During this time, she completed her PhD research and developed an innovative Vocational Rehabilitation service for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Her research made it clear that a supportive community is a critical element in any rehabilitation journey.

Jo’s personal desire for community deepened as she and her husband Jez became parents; first to a son, and then unexpectedly to twin daughters. With three children under three, life was undeniably chaotic, but they quickly realised that embracing this chaos and doing life with others was essential for thriving. What began as inviting local families to share meals in their home evolved into something much larger: they began sharing their home. For the past ten years, they have welcomed over 30 amazing people into their home, sharing their lives and growing together.

It was while serving as a governor at their children’s school that Jo began to question whether the traditional school environment truly allowed children—and the hard-working teachers—to thrive. In 2017, she and Jez decided to deregister their children from mainstream school for a year of home education. What they found was transformative: their children rediscovered their passion for learning, rekindled their creativity, and became energised and curious. They haven’t looked back since.

Home educating further opened Jo’s eyes to the power of community. Though the journey started off as a lonely one, their home education network gradually expanded. In response to this growing desire for community and not wanting others to walk a lonely path, Jo co-founded Streams Education in 2021, a national community to support home-educated families. She is privileged to work with an amazing team as they slowly grow this national community.

In 2023, alongside two other incredible women, Jo co-founded the first Streams Learning Hub; a co-learning space where young people can gather and participate in workshops and events as well as connect with online and global educational opportunities. Prior to this, she had explored the possibility of starting a school in Bristol and gained experience with Lumiar and Learn Life , both progressive schools. Realising how challenging opening a formal school within the system can be, she changed direction and used this experience and insight to help co-found the Hub.

In her free time, Jo enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking her dog, cooking meals to share, and practicing yoga. She is deeply passionate about community and collaboration, and this passion is at the heart of Streams.

Become a Member

Sign up to free membership and...
Registration
Name
Name
Encouraging, equipping and connecting home educators
© 2024 Streams. All rights reserved.