Volunteer Befriender Training Course Outline

                                       Oxford – June 2008

Session 1                     Tuesday 17th June                   6.45 – 9.30pm

Introducing the course and getting to know each other.

Session 2                     Tuesday 24h June                    6.45 – 9.30pm

Exploring our experiences, attitudes and beliefs around dying and death, from childhood until now.

Sessions 3 & 4            Saturday 5th July                      9.45 –  4.30pm                               

Grief and loss.  Models of grief.  Four tasks for living and dying. Life review – to look back, to reflect, to look ahead. Practising life review in pairs.

Role play:  A Befriender visits.   

 

Session 5                     Tuesday 8th July                      6.45 – 9.30pm

The needs of the person with a life threatening illness from diagnosis until death.

Dealing with stress and getting support.

 

Session 6                     Tuesday 15th July                    6.45 – 9.30pm

Equal Opportunities.

Victim and Perpetrator – An introduction to ‘The Shadow Persona’.

 

Sessions 7 & 8            Saturday 19th July                  9.45 – 4.30pm

 

Experience of Befriending explored with a person with life-threatening illness and current befrienders.

The role and boundaries of the Befriending Network Volunteer.

Considering our best and worst scenarios of befriending.

Course review and completion.

Befriending Contract.

Arrangements for Post Training Interviews.