Lived Experience Facilitator for Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group

• Have you been impacted by suicide loss?
• Do you have a desire to help others?
• Are you comfortable with listening to people with similar experiences?

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SoBS) is the leading charity supporting adults who have been bereaved or impacted by suicide. We believe that no one should face their loss alone, so we build communities across the UK for people to share and process their grief.

We are looking for compassionate volunteers to support an existing group in Hove.

SoBS groups usually meet once a month for around 2 hours, providing people with an opportunity to listen, share, ask questions, and connect with others. We know how hard it is to talk about our loss, so we create spaces where people just “get it”. 

What will I be doing?

• Facilitate peer-support in a public space with a team of other volunteers
• Welcome members, start conversations, & help connect stories
• Signpost members to other charities if needed
• Shared admin tasks: new enquiries, comms, etc.

Benefits

• Be a beacon of hope within your community, breaking the stigma around suicide and contributing to life-saving work, where no one bereaved by suicide faces their loss alone. 
• Use your skills to make a real difference in your community, make new friends and connections in an inspirational and supportive team
• Develop your understanding of grief, bereavement, and navigating loss - learning new skills to enhance your CV. 

Practical Considerations

Our Hove group meets once a month in an accessible location. Although there is limited venue parking, there is ample on-street parking, and the venue is accessible via public transport. It is on several bus routes and is located a short walk from Hove station. Due to safety, we are unable to publicise the location but we will share this as you progress through onboarding.

Our group meets on the 1st Monday of the month, from 19.00 - 21:00, and volunteers usually arrive 30 minutes before and stay for 30 minutes after. While these times are fixed, we are able to offer flexibility to anyone who might be interested in solely supporting with admin tasks. 

Support Disabled

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide welcomes people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments that enable volunteers with different abilities to access our opportunities and be their authentic selves.

Skills

You don’t need any qualifications to be a Group Facilitator, but lived experience is essential. We ask that our volunteers: 

• Are over the age of 18 and have the legal right to volunteer in the UK.
• Have been impacted by suicide loss. We recognise the ripples are far reaching, you may have lost a close family member, a colleague, or an old friend you kept up with on Fa
• Were bereaved over two years ago, so there’s been some time to process and come to terms with your loss
• Feel ready to begin supporting others, and are comfortable with listening to the stories and experiences of others who 

Other helpful qualities include:

• To be friendly, trustworthy, and approachable, with good active listening skills.
• Comfortable listening to and supporting people through all the emotions of grief and loss.
• A respectful, sensitive, and non-judgemental approach to people.
• An understanding that there are no right or wrong ways to grieve. 
• Good communication skills.
• A drive to support your community.

When do I need to be available?

Details	Our group meets on the 1st Monday of the month, from 19.00 - 21:00, and volunteers usually arrive 30 minutes before and stay for 30 minutes after. While these times are fixed, we are able to offer flexibility to anyone who might be interested in solely supporting with admin tasks.

	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Where does this role take place?

Register your Interest