Let’s Talk Bereavement Project – What a journey!

MariaPCC 25 October 2023

Launched in 2021, Let’s Talk Bereavement is in its final four months, having achieved more than we believed possible. The project, funded by NHS Charities Together, has so far helped over 800 individuals build their confidence supporting the bereaved.

The Cumbria Bereavement Support Partnership applied for funding to develop free training for those working and volunteering in North Cumbria. However, as word spread, we have engaged with people from all sectors as well as members of the public. From chief executives to specialist palliative care nurses, from members of the public to Youth Justice Workers, this diversity highlights the importance of having these conversations regardless of who you are.

As the project continued through the first year, it was clear that there was a wider demand, so the sessions were opened to anyone living in North Cumbria and later to those outside the area.

It was started as localised professional training but found to serve a greater need to understand grief. It can be hard to talk about death and these sessions start this conversation to build individual and community resilience and support around bereavement.

Many share their personal experiences of grief, enriching the sessions as their openness enhances the understanding of others. Participants then promote the training to others and provide feedback to inform ongoing development.

Each session explores the world of grief, what it is, how to cope and how we can support others through bereavement. While the practical application of the sessions cannot be understated, they go beyond this, as some participants engage from deeply personal position.

With individual feedback citing the session as “life changing”, “reassuring, as I thought I was grieving wrong” and having “given me back my sanity”, these “thought-provoking” sessions are having a positive impact in people’s lives.

Giving permission for people to grieve can reduce the risk of detrimental coping strategies to manage their emotional distress, such as increased alcohol or self-harm. These training sessions can help to support others to reduce the negative impact of bereavement on their long-term health and deepen your personal understanding of loss.

If you would like to know more or book a place on one of our training sessions, please visit our website.

With the delivery due to end in January 2024, we are keen to reach as many people as possible so please share, either by word of mouth or via social media, and help spread the word.

Let’s get the conversation going by making the most of these charitable funds and together Let’s Talk about Bereavement.

Categories: Article

Report

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts
  • Invite this member to groups
  • Message this member
  • Add this member as a connection

Please note: This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Report

You have already reported this .
Keep up to date

Sign up to receive our daily news alerts straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter containing a summary of the week’s news, blog and vote on our poll.

Have a discussion

Help keep the conversation going between meetings by creating a forum to hold discussions with your members. It’s an easy way to manage and communicate with members.

Create a network

Create a network to share documents, knowledge and best practice with your colleagues. Set up a network to keep in touch with other people in your organisation or with shared interest groups across organisational boundaries.

Networks can be open to all or available only to a closed group defined by the administrator.

Join or create a network here.