It feels like yesterday that I was writing my first report as Co-ordinator. However, I welcome the opportunity to let you all know about the events here at Brent Bereavement Services during the past year.
Although we work with so many people (Volunteers, Management Committee Members, Supervisors, outside Trainers, Accountants and our small staff of three), it actually feels like a small team. We all get on very well, which is a great benefit when you think of the many hours we spend together each week. This feeling creates a great working environment and one that benefits our work with bereaved people. We also seem to laugh a lot - a great puzzle to outsiders, but probably our way of coping with the many horrific stories we hear on a daily basis.
I would now like to tell you about some of the things I have been doing to increase awareness of our services and also to continue developing our service provision with help from the team, especially Valerie and Raksha.
The children's service is now well established and offering much needed support and help to bereaved children and young people, who are often suffering behavioural and emotional problems. Valerie and I attended a conference on child bereavement organised by Marie Curie and the National Association of Bereavement Services which gave us some insight into what is happening on a national and international level. We also had a prominent stand there which gave others a chance to find out about our own work.
Through Valerie's training for teachers we now receive more referrals from schools and are invited to attend meetings to discuss the best possible way to help bereaved students. This alleviates the pressure placed on teachers and has shown that children and young people can deal with their grief with appropriate support.
Locally, we attend the many Joint Reference Groups, health fairs, council meetings and many other events, which allow us to contribute to the way the community is supported, as well as giving us knowledge about other agencies. We are therefore able to provide a full service for our clients following the counselling and support provided by us.
Being active members of the London Bereavement Network and the National Association of Bereavement Services, gives us the opportunity to develop links and ideas with other bereavement service agencies. A significant amount of information is exchanged and this benefits the service and, of course, our clients.
On a personal note I have gained a City and Guilds qualification in teaching and have also qualified as a manager and trainer by The Department of Social Change, following a course on Charity Management. This new knowledge gives me the opportunity to assist our Training Officer, Valerie, when needed and also run workshops for volunteers and others, thereby continuing to educate on the needs of bereaved people.
I would like to thank Valerie for her support and for sharing her extensive knowledge; Raksha for her patience and loyalty; Susan for the hard work with fundraising, her listening skills and dedication; Andrew, Elcena, Jenny, Loda, Mary, Nichola, Rohini and Sandy for their commitment and Win for providing first class supervision over the last eight years - we will all miss you. Thanks to Rohini for continuing to supervise our volunteers and her training skills and a big welcome to Jacqui, who will take over Win's supervision groups. And I would like to thank all our Bereavement Visitors who continue to provide such a professional service for a very worthy cause.
THANK YOU ALL
Paulo Pimentel BSc., DEPC.,
Co-ordinator