Have you ever felt the need to talk to someone after the death of a loved one? Or have you ever felt that no one understands the pain you are going through? The goal at the Children's Bereavement Center (CBC) is to "enable children and families to acknowledge change and integrate loss with healthful grief and mourning." Through personal experience with volunteering at the Children's Bereavement Center, I know that children, teenagers, and even adults endeavor serious amounts of grief after the death of a loved one. By going to the Children's Bereavement Center, people in mourning are surrounded by others who have also lost loved ones and are able to deliver their thoughts and feelings with others who are in the same position. Over the past few weeks, I have been speaking with Kathy Kramer (program and training coordinator for the CBC) about the CBC's mission, the impact teen volunteers make with the CBC, and how teens can get involved.
1. What is the mission of your organization? "The Children’s Bereavement Center provides a supportive, caring environment so children grieving a death can share their experience as they move through the healing process. The Children’s Bereavement Center extends supportive services to families, caregivers, schools and the community."
2. How long have you been established in Miami Dade County? "12 years."
3. Approximately how many people do you serve in the community? What are the demographics of the people you serve? "The CBC serves the multi-cultural and socio-economically diverse community which comprises the tri-county area. We serve approximately 450 individuals monthly."
4. What prior or ongoing experiences have teens had with your organization? What roles have teens served? "As the CBC provides peer support groups for children and their families, teens, who have had a loss, attend our peer support groups as participants. Teens who attend the CBC as participants due to a loss can become teen mentors after participating in the program for approximately one year. Teen mentors who serve as volunteer facilitators in the peer support groups are required to attend our Teen Facilitator Training.
Teens who have not had a loss but wish to obtain community service hours can do so by attending our two-night teen facilitator training course and then committing to attending groups as teen facilitators who assist in both the Elementary and Middle School groups.
Teens can also participate by starting a “CBC Club” at their school. School clubs work to get the word out about the CBC and the impact loss and grief plays in the development of children, adolescents and teens. The school clubs can also do fundraisers (car washes, bake sales) which support the CBC programs. Becoming a friend on Facebook is also a great thing for club members to do."
5. What is an upcoming opportunity in which teens can get involved? "At the beginning of the school year, teens can attend the teen volunteer training and then commit to attending groups throughout the school year on Monday evenings. Teens will obtain two contact hours each Monday they attend groups. Most teens attend two Mondays per month…i.e. the first and third or second and fourth."
More information about the Children's Bereavement Center can be found at www.childbereavement.org. You can also become a friend/fan of the CBC Facebook Fan Page.
Through personal experience with the CBC, I have come to realize one of the greatest gifts that the CBC offers. Every person who leaves a CBC support group, whether they are a child, teen, adult or volunteer, leaves with a smile on their face. You can be the next smile maker...
Upcoming Events:
CBC Volunteer Training Session
(Interested teens may contact Kathy Kramer)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 Movie Premiere - Saturday, November 20th & Sunday, November 21st
in IMAX 3D
Paragon Grove 13
3015 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove
Tickets $25 Per Person
Including Small Popcorn and One Bowling Coupon
Contact Information: Please contact Kathy Kramer with any other questions about the Children's Bereavement Center.
kaokramer@childbereavement.org
Please subscribe to my blog to find out more ways that you can get involved in the community.
Clicks for Change
"Making a difference one click at a time!"
- Mia
No comments:
Post a Comment