Purpose of the role
To provide support at the weekly grief support drop-in group, to bereaved clients who have a connection to St Peter’s Hospice patients.
What you will be doing?
Support the psychological support worker (PSW) facilitating the group, including:
- Being responsive to the needs of each client, offering support and listening in a caring and confidential manner
- Supporting each client in his/her ongoing adjustment to life in changing circumstances
- Attending weekly de-briefs
- Discussing any queries, problems or observations with your PSW
- Always working within our volunteering code of conduct
- Attending relevant meetings and undertake all training required
- Always acting as an ambassador for St Peter’s Hospice
You will be required to incorporate an awareness of the environment in terms of confidentiality, security and health & safety.
Skills, experience and qualities needed
- Good listening and communication skills
- Empathy & be non-judgemental
- Enjoy interacting with people
- Able to work under times of pressure
- Enthusiastic, reliable and committed
- Open to learning, know your own limits of skills competences and responsibilities and work within them and know when to ask for help
- Flexibility
- Well presented, friendly and polite
- Prepared to work as part of a team
- Able to work on your own within boundaries
- Able to affirm loss or potential loss and the pain of grief as a natural part of human experience
- Able to support clients in their changing circumstances
- Able to respect clients’ choices and variety of expressions of grief consistent with different patterns of belief, family, community, culture and religion
- Be committed to continuous development
When and where:
St Peter’s hospice, Brentry. Day services. Every Tuesday between 1-3.30pm (this includes 30 minutes of setting up the room and a 30-minute de-brief – timings are approximate).
Support Offered
You will be working under the guidance & support of the Psychological Support Workers.
You will have weekly de-briefs after each drop-in group.
Training
You will be required to attend the generic orientation training for new volunteers and then more specific training delivered by the Psychological Therapies Team.
Quarterly training is provided, and you are encouraged to attend.
Other relevant training
You will need to complete a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
Whilst this role is available to all volunteers or potential volunteers, it is a role that requires specific skills.