Free , Bereavement Support and Information in the London Borough of Greenwich
Greenwich Cruse
020 8850 9429
COURSE POSTPONED
Client Contact Volunteer
48 Hour Foundation Training:
AWARENESS IN BEREAVEMENT CARE
FEE £250
This course is the standard entry course for volunteers wanting to offer bereavement support with Cruse. We are proud of our course at Greenwich - this training is Cruse approved and will from 2008 represent the training standard for entry into all Cruse branches.
The work balances theory, practice and skills, within an experiential (self-exploratory) framework.
COMPLETION OF THE COURSE DOES NOT GUARANTEE A PLACEMENT AT GREENWICH CRUSE BUT THE QUALIFICATION IS TRANSFERABLE TO ALL CRUSE BRANCHES.
Places on the course are subject to interview. Applicants who wish to join Grenewich Cruse will be invited to apply for a further interview at the end of the course.
Volunteer Role Title Client Contact Volunteer (CCV)
Purpose of Volunteering
To help and support the work of Cruse Bereavement Care by providing appropriate
services for bereaved people
Responsible to Supervisor
Qualifications No formal qualifications are needed to fill this role
Competencies:
Good interpersonal skillsRecord keeping skills
Ability to maintain confidentiality
Ability to set and work within boundaries
Ability to deliver accurate information
Awareness of own loss experience and how this may inform and affect work with clients
Acceptance of people as individuals, recognising and respecting diversity
Personal qualities
Empathy, integrity, resilience, respect.
Cruse volunteers need to be supportive, self aware and non-judgemental and be able
to take responsibility for their role within the organisation. They must be able to work
as part of a team.
Training and Support
All volunteers are required to undertake the Foundation Training Course which
ensures that they have the skills and knowledge required by their role. Bereavement
Volunteers are required to undertake regular supervision and participate in ongoing
training in accordance with Cruse standards and the arrangements of the Branch.
Commitment
Bereavement Volunteers are expected to provide support to bereaved people in
accordance with Cruse standards and the services provided by the Branch/Area. This
normally involves a time commitment of a few hours per week, plus time for essential
ongoing training and supervision.
FOUNDATION COURSE INFORMATION
Introduction
Thank you for your interest in Cruse. Working as a bereavement support volunteer is a demanding and challenging task requiring not only interpersonal skills, but also knowledge and self-awareness.
In the Greenwich Branch of Cruse, we would like our bereavement support volunteers to be committed to working with two clients, as well as monthly supervision and training. As you can imagine, the commitment of time and energy is immense, and those seeking to train as bereavement support volunteers should take careful stock of the time they have available to give to this.
The process of training is in itself demanding, requiring active participation in formal training events, reading and study, and the production of various pieces of work to give evidence of progress. Having said all of this, those who successfully complete their training and work with clients, find this work rewarding and stimulating.
Selection for Training
The places available for training are limited, and so selection procedures are in place to help identify those suitable to work with Cruse.
Application Form
This is the basis for an initial assessment and should be completed in as much detail as possible. Factors such as a significant bereavement within the last two years may preclude a person from training at present, but it is possible to reapply in the future. On this form it is important to allow us an insight into who you are, and why you think you would be suitable to train as a bereavement support volunteer. Therefore, the "Personal Statement on the form is an important element on which assessment is made.
Individual Panel Interview
If successful after the selection based on your application, you will be invited to attend an individual interview.
The Course
The Foundation Course in Bereavement Awareness and bereavement support Skills is the initial training for Cruse Bereavement Support Volunteers. Participants are asked to complete a portfolio of their progress through training. Emphasis is placed on individuals making an assessment of, and taking responsibility for their suitability and learning. Assessment of participants by trainers goes on throughout the course with opportunity to discuss progress and suitability.
On completion of this training, the selection panel will interview and make a formal decision to accept or decline each application. If accepted, participants will start working as Probationary Bereavement Support Volunteers until they have enough client work, supervision hours an understanding of the work of Cruse and to allow them to be Bereavement Support Volunteers.
On-going commitment
As already mentioned there is commitment involved in becoming and practising as a bereavement support volunteer with Cruse in Greenwich. Apart from the time commitment, the process of training and supervision places high emotional demands upon participants. It is important that each person training to be a Bereavement Support Volunteer explore their own personal issues, and their own experience of bereavement so that they can give their full emotional attention to whatever their clients may be struggling with. The training process is therefore not just about acquiring knowledge and skills, but also about personal growth, exploration and development. Our selection procedures reflect our desire to help applicants discover if this is really for them, and to support them as they move through to a final decision.
As a trained bereavement support volunteer with Cruse in Greenwich you will be expected to provide the following commitment of time and energy:
Client Work
To be committed to working with two clients.
Supervision
To attend for a 2 hour group supervision session each month.
Training
To attend for a minimum of twelve hours each year.
Administration
Completing the necessary administrative tasks such as completing relevant forms and booking rooms.
As you can see the expectations we place upon our bereavement support volunteers are very high. This is simply a reflection of our commitment to the people who take the difficult step of contacting Cruse for help. In order to provide them with the highest quality of support and care, we make every effort to ensure that our bereavement support volunteers are highly trained and supported.
There is no doubt that the work is demanding, but also rewarding, and Cruse takes very seriously its commitment to supporting and caring for our bereavement support volunteers. It is our aim that the word "care" which forms an important part of our title, is the attitude that pervades the entire organisation.
The Sessions
Each 3-hour session includes:
Aim of the session
Learning outcomes of the session in terms of awareness, skills and knowledge
Knowledge and portfolio handouts
Exercises
Reflective personal portfolio evaluations based on feelings, thoughts and actions
15 minutes reflection time at the beginning and end. (This is viewed as essential within the training as it allows time for raising personali issues, questions, seeking greater clarification and icebreakers or end games).
Dates for 2007
All sessions take place at:
Greenwich Cruse, Westmount Road, SE9. Saturdays run from 9.30 to 4.30 and Tuesday evenings from 7pm to 10pm
Sat 14th April Sessions 1 & 2 Introductions & The Nature of Grief.
Tue 17th April Session 3 Supporting by Listening.
Tue 24th April Session 4 Death in our Changing Society.
Tue 1st May Session 5 Grief in Families.
Tue 8th May Session 6 Key Counselling Skills.
Sat 12th May Sessions 7 & 8 Working with Clients & Working with Emotions
Tue 15th May Session 9 Loss of a Child.
Tue 22nd May Session 10 Support Systems.
Tue 5th June Session 11 Developing the Relationship
Sat 9th June Session 12 & 13 Extreme & Unresolved Grief and Reviews and Moving on.
Tue 12th June Session 14 Preparing for Endings.
Sat 16th June Session 15 & 16 Working Practically and Creatively & Sharing and Practice
