Bereavement Supporter

Bereavement Supporters are volunteers who provide crucial support to individuals and families affected by death. This includes visiting bereaved adults, or supporting children and young people (aged 5-18) through their Children's Visiting Group. You could also help run bereavement "drop-in" groups. If you're an experienced counsellor, there are opportunities to become a Group Leader or assist with their training program.

Almost anyone aged 18 or over can apply! You don't need specific qualifications or prior experience. What's essential is that you:

• Care about people
• Have good listening skills
• Have time to offer

They welcome people of all ages, genders, faiths, cultures, and backgrounds.

A key aspect of applying is that you'll need to be sponsored by a professional group or individual. This means someone or an organization that can vouch for your suitability. Examples provided include:

• College
• Place of Worship
• Medical Practice
• Bereavement Group Leader

This sponsorship helps ensure that volunteers are coming from a reputable source and have a level of existing support or oversight.

Bereavement Care and Support is committed to equipping their volunteers. You'll receive:

• Full training before you start.
• Additional training if you join the Children's Supporter Group.
• Ongoing training and support throughout your volunteering.
• An annual conference with expert speakers and workshops.

While the initial training is comprehensive, it doesn't automatically guarantee acceptance as a Bereavement Supporter.

Volunteering as a Bereavement Supporter offers significant personal rewards:

• Immense satisfaction from helping others adjust to their loss.
• Increased confidence in talking and listening to bereaved individuals, which can also benefit your interactions with family and friends.
• For some, it can even be a stepping stone to a vocation in counselling, allowing you to "test the water" before pursuing further training.
• You'll also get discounted rates for their ongoing skills development program and annual conference.
• 
  

If this sounds like a role for you, you can begin by:

• Contacting our office directly on 020 8427 5720.
  
• Registering for our Initial Bereavement Training Course.

Contacting Bereavement care  or attending the course doesn't commit you to anything, but it's a great way to find out if it's the right fit for you.