Community Education

Because serious illness and death becomes a part of most people’s lives at some point or another, we feel that it is important to reach out to the community and provide education about death, dying, grief, and other related topics. The Mission Hospice Society aims to meet this need through a number of programs and resources.

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Hospice Volunteer Training

All Hospice volunteers who work with patients, families and bereaved individuals are required to complete the Hospice Volunteer Training course. This 30-hour course focuses on listening, communication skills, death and dying, self-awareness, cultural considerations and spirituality. The course is a uniquely intensive and interactive experience.

Volunteers who wish to volunteer in the Christine Morrison Hospice must complete this 30-hour Volunteer Training course. They are also required to do a one-evening Christine Morrison Hospice Orientation.

The next training course begins October 7, 2010 at Mission Hospice Society Center.

Hospice Volunteer Training Schedule

For more information, call 604-826-2235 or email info@missionhospice.bc.ca.

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Other Training Courses

Christine Morrison Hospice Orientation: Orientation for volunteers who have completed the Hospice Volunteer Training course and wish to volunteer in the Christine Morrison Hospice is offered regularly as needed.

Volunteer Mentoring: New volunteers are paired with established volunteers for a certain length of time.

Bereavement Training: This course is offered periodically as the need arises. We train established volunteers to facilitate grief groups and provide specialized one-to-one bereavement support. Volunteers must co-facilitate two or three groups with a trained facilitator as post-course training.

Ongoing Training and Support: Monthly volunteer support meetings and various workshops and seminars are offered for continuing education for our volunteers.

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Speakers

Speakers are available to come and speak to any community organization or group on topics related to Hospice concerns. Call the office and speak to the Executive Director for more information at 604-826-2235 or execdir@missionhospice.bc.ca.

Our comprehensive lending library is available to any member of the community. Call 604-826-2235 to set up a time to come and visit our library.

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Inservice & Training Workshops

Hospice personel will offer training for staff and volunteers of companies, organizations and community groups on hospice-related topics. Contact us at execdir@missionhospice.bc.ca for more information.

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Hospice in the Schools

In partnership with School District 75, the Mission Hospice Society has built a program to support children and teens who are grieving the loss or anticipated loss of someone significant in their lives.

Components of the program include:

Support Groups: The after-school support groups for children and teens starts in late September, after the facilitators have met with prospective student participants and parents. Groups meet for two hours once a week through the school year (September-June). Participants will stay in the group as long as they feel that the group is helping them. School counsellors have been informed and consulted about the project and are enthusiastic. Each group will be co-facilitated by a trained facilitator from the Mission Hospice Society and a school counsellor.

Grief Kits: A grief support library was placed in every Mission school in 2001. Funds from McDonald’s McHappy Days were used to create and update the Grief Kits. An important part of the program is to raise awareness, educate and inform school staff on how to use these resources, and to consult with them about what kind of additional resources will best serve their needs.

Children, Youth and Family Resources: Our Child, Youth and Family Program Coordinator provides resources and personal input to help the schools deliver support when issues of grief, illness and death are involved. The Coordinator sets up, facilitates and administers the after-school support groups, maintains the Grief Kit program, and serves as a general resource for school counsellors, teachers, parents and students. The Coordinator also assists with training hospice volunteers, school counsellors and student peer support volunteers to provide one-to-one support and to co-facilitate support groups, so that the programs will be able to grow as needs dictate.