29 July 2024
Supporting the wonderful work that local charities and CIC groups do in our local communities is very important to us, and we recognise that residents are best placed to inform us on charities that are offering opportunities, facilities and support, and making a positive and real difference in their local communities. One such nomination received was The Bereavement Café, founded as a result of personal grief, and a desire to support others in their time of grief.
Jane Dixon founder of the charity is passionate about supporting people and has ambitions to expand the support they provide to a greater number of people. Niamh Waldron, ESG Director caught up with Jane this week to review support and discuss future activities.
“Our sessions with children in schools, offering them a safe space to talk, and creating activities for them to understand their feelings and feel confident to acknowledge and work through them rather than against them has proved to be a successful initiative. We have received encouraging feedback from students, teachers and carers. Schools have reported that many students have managed to stay more focussed during lessons with a noticeable reduction in need of pastoral staff support, as well as minimising the wait list for the School Counsellor.”
Students have fed back –
“It has been really good to have open and honest chats about how I feel, I didn’t realise there were others in my year who were going through the same”.
“Listening to Jane tell me how I feel is normal, really helped, it made me cry as I always wondered what was wrong with me and why I was still sad a year after my Mum died”.
Feedback from the parents stating they’ve seen a big difference in their children’s improved mood and behaviour, and are happy that they seem to be talking more openly about their feelings, is further evidence of the positive benefits of the Cafe.
As Jane looks ahead she adds “We have a long way to go to understand how to support young people as they navigate their way through the changes and emotions loss and the associated grief brings. I am currently working on writing a training programme aimed at Primary school teachers, on how to support children in their care with grief, how to have conversations and ensuring the correct language is used that allows children to know that grieving is normal and natural. With the support of Simple Life this training will come with a tree which each school can plant in their space to nurture and use when children are feeling overwhelmed, to be a space for refection and conversations, and a way to deliver communications to someone who is no longer here (writing a letter or message on a paper leaf and pinning on for example). I am working with experienced teachers in the planning of this workshop.”
Find out more here The Bereavement Café | Supporting People Through Their Grief (thebereavementcafe.co.uk)
