Imagine Welcomes New Volunteer Facilitators
The staff at Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss are so pleased to welcome a wonderful team of new facilitators to their community of volunteers. The new facilitators attended three full days of training in preparation for joining Imagine’s peer support group program as volunteer facilitators, facilitating support groups for children, teens, young adults and their parents/guardians who have experienced the loss of someone close to them.
During their training, space was provided where they could share their stories of loss with one another and give and receive support as Imagine staff modeled the facilitator tools utilized in Imagine’s peer support groups. Imagine practices Alan Wolfelt’s Companioning Model which encourages us to walk beside someone on their grief journey, so they know they’re not alone. Those who participated in this training can utilize the same skills and tools modeled by Imagine staff as they create safe spaces for participants in Imagine’s peer support groups.
Some of those who attended the training shared their thoughts on their training experience. One participant shared that she got something from each part of the training including the stories, power point and activities. When asked if she would change anything about the training, she said: “I wouldn’t change a thing.” Another participant said he “learned to support someone who’s grieving by validating their feelings and experience, and not trying to fix or solve anything.” Others described it as a powerful, professional training.
The Imagine staff are so pleased to welcome this wonderful new group of volunteers to their community. If you’d like to join Imagine’s community of volunteers, another training is coming up November 3-5 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Please scan the QR code below to let Imagine’s staff know if you’re interested or visit their website at imaginenj.org/grief-support-facilitator. If you have any questions regarding the training, please reach out to Imagine’s Program Supervisor, Abigail Priece at abigail@imaginenj.org.
Imagine is a 501c3 nonprofit that offers free year-round grief support groups for children ages 3-18 and young adults 19-30 who are coping with a loss due to death. Concurrently, support groups are available for the parents and guardians of the children in the groups and offered in English and Spanish. Imagine also offers grief and loss education and training to the community. For more information please contact Imagine at 908-264-3100 or info@imaginenj.org.
