Grief Support Volunteers
Grief Support Volunteers are understanding listeners. They know that grieving is a normal process that follows the death of a loved one. And, they know that each person’s experience of grief is unique. They may offer guidance through facilitation of weekly grief groups. Some Grief Support Volunteers participate in our community events.
All Grief Support Volunteers participate in a comprehensive training that provides the skills and tools needed to support grieving clients.
Our grief support volunteers are:
- Empathetic, compassionate, non-judgmental, and patient
- Comfortable with a wide variety of people
- Skilled at listening and putting others at ease
- Able to care for their own emotional, physical and spiritual needs, including asking for support when needed
- Able to receive and give constructive feedback in an open, respectful manner
- Dependable, flexible, and able to adapt to evolving needs and requirements of clients, program, and agency
Grief Support Volunteer Training topics include:
- Philosophy of hospice and grief support
- Types of grieving and signs of grief
- Spiritual dimensions of death and dying
- Exploration of personal experiences of grief
- Boundaries
- Communication and presence
- Facilitation of grief support groups
- Self- Care
Following the training, Grief Support Volunteers are asked to make the following commitment:
- Serve as a Grief Support Volunteer for a minimum of one year
- Serve clients 1-3 hours per week, intermittently throughout the year
- Attend bi-monthly volunteer meetings and complete continuing education trainings annually