Grief Support Group Facilitators & More Volunteer Opportunities
Would you like to use your skills and life experiences to bring hope and help to others? Our programs depend on volunteers in order to be successful, and we have numerous ways people can participate in our mission. We are always in need of volunteer help as listed below, or however you would like to lend your support:
- Ambassadors for Joel’s Place – Contact Us if we can send you any brochures, flyers or print materials to help spread the word about our free grief support groups for children, teens and families in Cleveland.
- Butterfly Release team members
- Volunteers to coordinate pre-meeting dinners for our families (See Hospitality Host below)
- Committee Members for various committees (Program, Marketing, Fund Development, Governance)
- Board Members
- Fundraising event assistance
- Facilitators to conduct support groups
Volunteer Grief Support Group Facilitators:
Our comprehensive facilitator training takes place every year. A custom manual of materials hand-selected for this training is provided. The training includes:
- Reviewing developmental stages of childhood
- Exploring how developmental stages relate to the grieving process
- Examining what support groups look like
- Sharing activities to facilitate the expression of feelings
- Sharing personal loss experiences
No prior training or experience is required. All that is needed is the ability to listen and a compassionate heart. Please note all sessions are facilitated by two trained adults. Sessions are confidential. References and fingerprinting are required for all facilitators.
Additional Volunteer Opportunities:
Are you a friendly person who wants to help us with pizza dinner? Our attendees continue to tell us how much they appreciation not having to worry about dinner on nights where we meet for peer-based grief support groups for kids, teens and their families in the Greater Cleveland area at Joel’s Place. Sign up to be Hospitality Host for a night! You’ll welcome families, pass out pizzas, and help us gather leftovers for the participants to bring home. Click below for more information and to sign up!
Recently retired or looking to give back in the neighborhood where you live, work, or even where you grew up? Are you a young professional looking to expand your leadership and volunteer portfolio with a meaningful organization? There are many opportunities to support Joel’s Place for Children as a board member. Please see below to learn more!
National Alliance for Children's Grief Active Participation & Continuing Education:
Joel’s Place for Children is a proud member of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG). The NACG provides a number of helpful resources for grieving families and those who support them. In addition to education webinar opportunities throughout the year, we send representatives to the NACG Annual Symposium where hundreds of bereavement professionals gather for educational sessions, program activity halls, networking opportunities, and tours of grief facilities across the country. We continuously commit to learning new, better ways to serve more grieving families in our Greater Cleveland community. We are proud of our facilitator and Executive Director Becky McDermott who presented at the NACG Symposium in 2019. Lauren Armstrong and Becky McDermott attended together in 2022 and 2023.
