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Norfolk Library and Information Service is nationally recognised as being one of the best library services in the country. We're an integral part of the public service offer in Norfolk. Our vision is ...
Bereavement Café Volunteer - Dereham Library
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Summary
We are looking for a volunteer to help with our Bereavement Café. Sessions take place on Thursdays from 11.30am-1.00pm.Detailed description
Bereavement is something that can affect a person at any stage of their life but sadly there has been a higher chance of a person experiencing the death of someone close to them during the Covid-19 outbreak. Norfolk Library and Information Service are setting up a series of regular ‘Bereavement cafes’ which will create a space for people who have been bereaved to come together.
The focus is not on offering bereavement counselling as there are many excellent services which already offer in-depth support. The aim of a grief café is to provide a friendly space where customers can sit and talk and find new connections with others; who they know will have also experienced the death of someone close to them. There is no right or wrong topic of conversation. People may choose to talk about the weather, gardening or what they have been reading. If they wish to talk more openly about the person they are missing, that is also fine.
The role of the volunteer will be to welcome people to the space and make them feel comfortable. At present customers are asked to bring their own drinks but once we are able to reintroduce the provision of a hot drink, volunteers may also help with preparing cups of tea or coffee.
Volunteers will be provided with details of local organisations who can help with counselling or more bespoke support if an attendee feels this is something they would like to access.
A Bereavement café will meet on a regular basis, normally weekly. Volunteers will be asked to give 1-1.5 hours of their time depending on the length of time the café is to be held. Volunteers will welcome people to the group and explain the aims of the sessions. They will help with queries and when possible with preparing cups of tea. The volunteer will be a link between the participants at the sessions and the staff members in the library.
Volunteers will need to:
- Have a sensitive manner
- Be keen to support others to rebuild social connections they may have lost
- Have good listening skills
- Be patient
- Be able to attend the library on a regular (normally weekly) basis