Coping with bereavement involves painful feelings, coming to terms with loss and making adjustments in life. We are looking for volunteers to provide short-term support to people experiencing bereavement, helping them to explore their feelings and adapt to their new life.
Why Your Support is Needed
Facing a terminal or life-limiting illness - and coping with the bereavement that follows - can be a profoundly challenging experience. It involves navigating intense emotions, adapting to loss, and finding a new path forward. To provide support through these difficult transitions, we are seeking compassionate volunteers to offer emotional and/or bereavement support, either in a group setting by facilitating support groups or on a one-to-one basis. In this role, you will empower individuals to explore their feelings and adjust to life after receiving a diagnosis or experiencing the loss of a loved one. This position supports adult patients, clients, and their families.
Your role will include some of, but is not restricted to, the following tasks:
* Providing emotional and/or bereavement support in the hospice.
* Offering empathetic, active listening to help clients express their feelings around diagnosis and loss.
* Sharing pertinent information with the Bereavement team and/or your line manager as appropriate.
* Adhering to local record-keeping and documentation procedures.
* Assisting with other related tasks as needed.
Skills and Experience Needed
For this role, we are looking for individuals who demonstrate:
* An understanding of the complexities of grief and loss, especially regarding anticipatory grief.
* A commitment to delivering high-quality support services.
* Flexibility and a collaborative spirit to work within a team.
* Awareness of safeguarding practices and confidentiality, with a focus on patient and family privacy.
* Empathy and sensitivity to the experiences of those who are bereaved or impacted by a terminal diagnosis.
* Reliability and a willingness to complete necessary training and continuous professional development.
Benefits of Volunteering with Us
By volunteering with Marie Curie, you will gain valuable experience in a charitable setting, enhancing your skills and making a meaningful difference. We offer:
* Comprehensive induction, training, and ongoing support and supervision.
* Reimbursement for agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.
Commitment to Inclusion and Equality
Marie Curie is dedicated to safeguarding the wellbeing of patients and their families. We treat all volunteers fairly and respectfully, ensuring a non-discriminatory environment regardless of disability, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, or gender reassignment. Age requirements may apply only if relevant to safeguarding volunteers or service users.
For more information or if you have any questions regarding this volunteer role, please contact the Volunteering Operations Centre