Becoming a Volunteer for My Healing Place

What is required of me to become a volunteer for My Healing Place?

First, an openness to the variety of experiences people have as significant losses occur in life.

Second, a willingness to be a non-judgmental listener.

Then, participation in the volunteer interview and training process which consists of:

1. A personal pre-placement interview with a My Healing Place staff member.
2. Completing the written application for volunteers.
3. Submission of three (3) personal letters of recommendation.
4. Signed consent for a Criminal Background Check
5. Sign a confidentiality agreement. (This is done during training.)
6. For volunteer services other than group facilitation:
   Participation in training appropriate to the position.
   
7. Group facilitators:
   Participate in the full 30-hr.facilitator training series provided by
   My Healing Place.
   Participate in a post-training interview during which the person will discuss specific group placements.
   

Lastly, volunteers, especially group facilitators, are asked to make a one-year commitment to their volunteer placement. Stability and consistency are key to a successful grief support group Thus, the one-year commitment ensures at least a minimum turnover in leaders of our groups.

When facilitating a group this means a time commitment of 9 hours a month

Groups meet two times monthly during a weekday evening from 6-8:15. Volunteers must arrive 45 min. prior to group for “Briefing” and stay 45 minutes—1 hour following the group for “Debriefing.” The evening group schedule is as follows:

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS

Office/Clerical Volunteer

At the current time this position is fairly limited since we do not have a permanent facility of our own. However, help with such tasks as addressing and stuffing letters, newsletters and fundraising materials, putting together packets for schools and churches may be needed. 

Hospitality/Welcoming

On the evening/s of the support group volunteers are needed to help in the welcoming of persons and families as they arrive for the pot luck support which will start each group evening. Additionally persons are needed to set-up and clean up following the pot luck supper. Hospitality and Welcoming Volunteers may also assist in preparing nametags and other items needed for the evening groups.

Special Group Projects

Children and adolescent groups often participate in activities that require preparation of materials in advance of the group. For example, a children’s group may make memory boxes. This activity requires collecting boxes (approximately shoebox size), gathering materials to cover/decorate the boxes, etc. Other projects may include creating a memory garden and a memory quilt. Persons volunteering in this capacity may be unable to offer a weekly commitment but are able to offer blocks of time as needed. 

Fundraising

Volunteers interesting in helping with the efforts to raise funds for our non-profit will work closely with the My Healing Place Board of Directors involved in fundraising projects. 

Group Facilitator

Since it takes two (2) volunteers to facilitate every support group and each group evening will have 6-8 groups of varying ages, group facilitator volunteers are certainly one of our greatest needs at My Healing Place. The first page of this handout gives a detailed description of the commitment of a group facilitator. 

Information and Referral Line

My Healing Place hosts the “Grief, Loss, and Trauma Information and Referral Service” for the Austin area. Volunteers working with this line will receive telephone calls inquiring about grief, loss, and trauma services in the Austin area. A resource guide has been prepared with listing of all the available free and low cost services related to grief, loss, and trauma. Volunteers will use this guide to refer callers to various services based on their needs. Volunteers will also work to keep our resource guide up to date by making periodic calls to service providers. This service is currently “under construction” and will be evolving as our location for services also evolves.