Club Courage Volunteers

Volunteer Expectations:

Club Courage, formerly Rainbows, is a six-week support group for children and teens grades kindergarten – 12th who have experienced a loss through death, divorce, separation, incarceration, deployment, or other painful transition. Children are placed in small groups of peers their age and at least two volunteers are assigned to each group.

Volunteers are responsible for providing grief support to their group and leading their group through the provided curriculum. Volunteers must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Commitment/Consistency: Your commitment and consistency as a facilitator is crucial to this program. Volunteers must contact the Bereavement Coordinator in advance (preferably at least a 24-hour notice) if you will be absent so other arrangements can be made for your group.
• Confidentiality: Volunteers are privileged to confidential and highly sensitive information and are expected to respect privacy and confidentially. You must help protect Club Courage participants by not taking pictures of them, adding them on social media, or disclosing information about them to anyone outside of the Club.
• Safety: Volunteers must immediately report any concerns you see with a child to the Bereavement Coordinator. This includes disciplinary problems within the group, any problems you believe a child is having at home, or any suspect of physical, emotional or psychological abuse.
• Boundaries: You may not have any group or individual activities with our children participants outside of the Club Courage sessions. Please do not give out your phone number, address or social media to the children or their parent/guardian. If a Club Courage participant would like to get in touch with a volunteer, they must contact the Hendrick Hospice Care office. All questions or concerns from parents/guardians should be directed to the Bereavement Coordinator.
• Unconditional Love and Support: Volunteers should make each child feel seen, heard, loved, accepted, and supported without condition. Volunteers must foster an environment of respectful and joyful inclusivity. Volunteers should not bring gifts or special treats unless they can provide enough for their entire group.
• Leadership: It is important to maintain control over your group by:
  • Focusing on the positive
  • Setting rules from the beginning
  • Maintaining a professional relationship- you are their example and a positive adult role model
  • Being prepared for and adhering to the weekly session as best as possible

Volunteer Time Requirements

Volunteers will need to complete training prior to the start of Club. Volunteers are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the beginning of Club and stay up to 30 minutes after its conclusion. Volunteers must be able to attend all six sessions.

Apply

The next session of Club Courage will meet every Tuesday beginning October 11 through November 15 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Please apply to become a Club Courage Volunteer here.