Bereavement support volunteer

What does the volunteer group leader role involve?

A Bereavement Volunteer offers a compassionate listening ear at a time when an individual is experiencing grief.  A Bereavement Volunteer will provide short-term support, by telephone and/or in person but is not expected to be a counselling service.  Some Bereavement Volunteers also lead Bereavement support groups. 

What will I get out of it?

• A chance to develop existing listening skills.
• Provide a vital link to community services.
• Be a part of the Age UK Oxfordshire volunteer family
• Help to reduce feelings of isolation.

What sort of person are we looking for?

• Someone who is patient, kind and a good listener.
• The ability to offer support through connections to the Charity in a timely way
• Someone who is self-managing.

What is expected of me?

In person visits usually last around between 1 and 2 hours. They are flexible depending on the individual you are supporting and their circumstances.You don’t need to come into the office to make telephone bereavement support calls, you can do them from the comfort of your home. Again, the frequency of these will depend on the individual you are supporting and their circumstances.Bereavement groups will usually last between 1 and 2 hours and be on a weekly basis and can run for many months. 

Ongoing peer support is offered to all bereavement support volunteers. 

You will be expected to attend service specific training in addition to the mandatory training where this is offered. A minimum commitment of 6 months is asked for.