Peer Support Group Volunteers

We are now recruiting volunteers to support groups in Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Penrith, Carlisle, Maryport and Workington.

Each of our support groups is run by a team of three volunteer group facilitators. Between them, they facilitate the session, get the conversation started, make sure everyone has the opportunity to talk if they want to, organise refreshments, and generally look out for people. Our group facilitators do more listening than talking, but they also usually find the groups a source of personal support as well.

We ask that our volunteers are bereaved by suicide themselves, usually for more 18-24 months prior to volunteering. This shared experience with the people who come to our groups is a really important part of what makes them so effective. Volunteers will be comfortable listening to the experiences of others. People feel that they will be understood. We also ask though prior to applying that you consider where you are in your own grief journey, and how it might impact you listening to the experiences of others.

Volunteers will be offered initial training programme of around 10 hours to give them the confidence and skills to safely facilitate a peer-led support group. Training will include facilitation and listening skills, safeguarding, suicide prevention skills and more. Volunteers will be closely supported by one of our staff when first starting the role and will get mentoring support from more experienced volunteers. Ongoing training and support from one our staff team will also be available.

For more details and an application form see our Peer Support Group pages