Grief Support Group Volunteers
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at Brooke’s Place.
Review the list below to decide which opportunity might work best for you!
Support Group Facilitator
Facilitators provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals, ages 3-29 years old, and their caregivers, to grieve the way they need to grieve. Facilitators listen to and validate the feelings, thoughts, and words that are shared during the support groups and let the participants lead you through their grief journey. NO COUNSELING background is required! Facilitators will be expected to be able to keep up physically with young children and to maintain a safe environment for the grief support groups.
In order for you to become a facilitator for Brooke’s Place, we require our volunteers to complete our training workshop that is offered four times a year.
Previous bereavement experience is not required, just a love for children and the willingness to make a commitment to the program.
Requirements:
• Facilitator Training: offered 4 times a year
• Must complete the pre and post-training interviews
• 1 year commitment to Brooke’s Place
• Must be 16 years of age or older
• Background check
Must Haves:
• Ability to work well with others
• Ability to actively listen
• Ability to move around the room to keep up with active children
• Need to give back to your community
• Love for working with kids and willingness to make a difference in the life of a grieving child
Brooke’s Place Buddy
Help with ‘behind the scenes’ jobs at Program Night by becoming a Brooke’s Place Buddy.
Being a Buddy often includes more behind-the-scenes effort and less direct contact with families. Buddies help set the atmosphere for our program by providing assistance to participants throughout the evening. Duties include preparing rooms for evening activities, greeting families as they arrive, set up/clean up for dinner, serving pizza & drinks, setting up the lending-library, assisting facilitators with obtaining supplies, and helping with clean-up after program night activities. Buddies volunteer twice a month on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30.
Requirements:
• 6 month commitment to Brooke’s Place
• Volunteer interview
• Must be 14 years of age or older or accompanied by a parent/guardian if under 14
• Pass a background check
Must Haves:
• Ability to work well with others
• A smiling face and a helpful attitude
• The ability to lift 25 lbs and be on your feet for most of the evening
• Don’t mind getting your hands dirty as you serve dinner
• Love for working with kids and willingness to make a difference in the life of a grieving family
Librarian
Assist with the Lending Library by helping children and families locate books based upon subjects including types of death, relationship of those who died, other circumstances that often accompany the death of a loved one, e.g. moving to a new home, divorce, pet loss and moving to a new school. Librarians volunteer twice a month on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday evenings.
The Lending Library Program supports grieving children and their families, school personnel, congregations and the central Indiana community at no cost. The public is welcome to check out books during the week at our office or at Saint Luke’s United Methodist Church or Westside Church on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday evenings from 6:15 -7:15 pm.
BP-8 Volunteers
BP-8 is an 8-week, peer-based grief support group provided at community partners’ sites, i.e, community centers, churches, schools, etc. This program has allowed Brooke’s Place to expand capacity in serving grieving children and teens. It has also increased our efforts to reach underserved populations, especially those impacted by homicide.
Volunteer facilitators are needed for these short-term programs that usually take place late afternoon or early evening. Facilitators must be trained in the traditional Brooke’s Place facilitator training and require background checks. To learn more, fill out the volunteer application!