Joining a new community can feel a little bit like walking into a room where everyone else already knows each other. You might spend a while hovering at the edges, wondering where to start, what to say or how everyone else seems to have made friends already.

The good news is that every single person on Frolo started in exactly the same place.

Frolo Community is designed to help single parents make connections, find friendship and support, and meet other people who understand the reality of single parent life. You can use the Feed to ask questions and share experiences, find other single parents through Discovery, join Group Chats and take part in Meetups, both online and in person.

But downloading the app is only the beginning. Like any community, the more you get involved, the more likely you are to find your people.

Inspired by some brilliant advice shared by one of our Community Champions, here are some simple ways to get started.

1. Make yourself visible

It can be tempting to join Frolo and spend the first few weeks quietly reading other people's posts. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking your time and getting a feel for the community, but when you're ready, introducing yourself is one of the easiest ways to start making connections.

You don't need to share your entire life story. A short introduction saying a little about you, roughly where you're based, the ages of your children and what you're hoping to get from Frolo gives other members something to respond to.

You might be looking for local friends, people with children a similar age, someone to go for a coffee with or simply other single parents who understand the particular stage of life you're in.

Give people a way in and you may be surprised by how many respond.

2. Use the Feed as a conversation, not just somewhere to post

The Feed is where you can connect with the wider Frolo community, whether you need advice, want to share something that's happened or simply fancy a chat.

Posting is only half of it. Try commenting on other people's posts, reacting to things that resonate with you and joining conversations that interest you. Ask questions, share opinions and create polls.

And remember that you don't have to talk about single parenting all the time.

Frolos are single parents, but they're also people who like books, food, travel, music, crafts, terrible television, gardening, football, baking and thousands of other things. Sharing the everyday parts of your life can sometimes be the easiest way to discover someone you click with.

3. Find your people through Discovery

If you're hoping to make individual connections, don't wait for everyone else to find you.

The Discovery section is designed to help you find other single parents and make connections, including people in your local area.

Have a browse and send connection requests to people you think you might have something in common with. If you've already chatted on the Feed or in a Group Chat, even better – having had a little interaction first can make connecting feel much more natural.

Friendship rarely happens instantly. Think of a connection request as saying hello rather than asking someone to become your new best friend.

4. Join Group Chats – and actually join in

Group Chats can be a great way to make a big community feel smaller.

There are chats based around locations, interests and experiences, covering everything from co-parenting and support to recipes and local communities.

When you join one, try not to stop at simply saying "Hi". Equally, you don't need to introduce yourself with your complete autobiography.

Give people something they can respond to. Tell them a little about yourself, ask a question or join an existing conversation.

Some groups will naturally contain people who have known each other for a long time. They may have in-jokes, established friendships or conversations that feel as though they've been running for years. Don't let that put you off. They were all new once too.

5. Don't be afraid of Meetups

For lots of people, this is the scary bit – and potentially the bit that makes the biggest difference.

Frolo Meetups can be face-to-face or virtual and range from playdates and coffee meetups to nights out, trips, holidays and expert sessions. You can browse existing Meetups or create one yourself.

If there isn't anything happening near you, consider setting something up rather than assuming there aren't any other frolos around. It doesn't have to be elaborate. A coffee, a walk in the park or an hour at a soft play can be enough.

Once you've created a Meetup, share it on the Feed too so more people have a chance to spot it.

And if meeting strangers in person feels like too much initially, have a look for virtual Meetups. They can be an easy first step into getting involved with the community from home.

6. Be the person who starts something

One of the best pieces of advice from experienced frolos is not to assume somebody else will make the first move.

Can't find a Meetup near you? Create one.

Want to talk about a particular subject? Start a conversation.

See someone on the Feed who sounds like your kind of person? Say hello.

Frolo gives you the tools to make connections, but communities are ultimately built by the people in them. Sometimes finding your people means being brave enough to go first.

7. Remember that disagreement is normal

Frolo brings together single parents from all kinds of backgrounds, with different experiences, personalities, parenting styles and opinions.

You're not going to agree with everybody – and that's okay.

What matters is treating other people with respect. If you see a post, comment or user that you believe needs the Frolo team's attention, you can report them through the app. You can also block users you don't want to interact with.

A supportive community doesn't have to be one where everyone thinks exactly the same way.

8. Give friendship time

This might be the most important tip of all.

Making friends as an adult can take time.

You might not download Frolo on Monday and have six new best friends and a packed social calendar by Friday. You may post something that doesn't get much response, join a Meetup and not immediately click with anyone, or have a conversation that simply fizzles out.

That's normal.

Keep showing up. Join conversations. Try another group. Go to another Meetup. Make another connection.

Friendships are built through lots of small interactions, and sometimes the person who eventually becomes an important part of your life starts out as nothing more dramatic than somebody who replies to your post about what to cook for tea.

Ready to find your people?

There isn't one right way to use Frolo. You might want a huge circle of single parent friends, one person nearby who understands, a supportive online community or simply somewhere you can ask a question and know the people answering genuinely get it.

Start wherever feels comfortable.

Say hello. Join a conversation. Browse a Group Chat. Find a Meetup. Create one yourself.

And remember: everyone you're looking at who seems completely at home in the Frolo community was new once too.

Download the Frolo app and start connecting with other single parents

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