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MAKING S P A C E FOR LOSS
Address the elephant in the room
Are you an organisation, network, community group or workplace who is struggling with how to acknowledge and explore loss? You might have a colleague who is sick, someone who is recently bereaved or be working alongside staff, participants or volunteers who are experiencing grief and loss. The last few years have brought up a lot of loss for people whether loss of loved ones, or loss of employment, significant change, loss of community, connection, or wellbeing. We have a tailored offer for organisations that want to build capacity in their teams and networks so that we can all be better at acknowledging, processing and supporting each other with grief and loss. We can offer all of our signature workshops or provide bespoke solutions tailored to you.
We know from experience that engaging with grief and loss makes a better experience for us all and provides transferable skills to other areas of our lives, our work helps to:
Improve wellbeing and self care in teams and groups;
Increase resilience when dealing with change and other complex life experiences;
Increase awareness and confidence engaging with grief and loss;
Improve communication and listening skills;
Increase empathy and relationship building skills;
Practical tips and techniques for supporting people experiencing grief and loss.
Our strengths lie in creating spaces that are safe to explore all areas of loss, whilst bringing through hope, joy and connection. Get in touch to find out more.
SERVICES
PROJECTS AND CONSULTANCY
We have delivered a number of projects with partners including the Forest Gate Wellbeing Walks, The Dark is Bright, The Long Lost Year and with The Fandangoe Kid. We offer consultancy and collaboration on a number of community, creative, and research projects. We bring a fresh, creative edge, the ability to sit comfortably with discomfort, whilst bringing joy and hope to our work alongside our expertise of delivering a range of one off and longer term projects in communities across the UK. We have a wide network of creatives, artists and facilitators who work with us to deliver a range of creative community projects.
If you are interested in collaborating with us to deliver a project on grief and loss please get in touch.
COACHING AND MENTORING
Claire and Carly offer practitioners working in a variety of settings including public services, education, health and social care, and other settings who are working with grief and loss with citizens in communities across the UK.
Claire offers 1:1 and group coaching aimed at enabling and empowering individuals and groups to explore and discover their own direction. Claire has a particular unique combination as she brings in her years of experience of mentoring and quality improvement with the focus on being curious.
LIke Carly, Claire too has experienced the benefits of coaching over many years. Having this time is vital for your own personal health and development as if you are not looking after yourself how can you support, and care for others.
If you need support to overcome a challenge in your practice, are developing a new project, or you feel your container is becoming too full with grief and loss, get in touch to find out more about what we can offer with a free 30 minute discovery call.
Payment plans and multiple session booking discounts are available.
TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
Does your organisation, group or network need some support, awareness raising or a deep dive into a particular area of grief and loss? We invite you to address the elephant in the room with our range of workshops.
Did you know that 56% of employees would consider leaving a job if their employer did not give proper support after a bereavement (Thompson, 2013).
The pandemic has changed so many of our working patterns, rituals and interactions, but what about how this intersects with the bereavements that many of us have experienced over the past 15 months? According to Cambridge University, with only one death nine people are impacted by bereavement. With the deaths attributed to Covid-19 alone, that’s now well over a million people in the UK impacted by bereavement during the pandemic.
We know that engaging with these topics can be tough we have a range of workshops on offer to help you including:
Our signature workshop series "Making Space for loss" three two hour workshops that increases awareness of the importance of acknowledging losses in our lives whilst encouraging personal reflection, practical tools for being alongside others experiencing grief and loss, and a session on self care when working with grief and loss.
Basic Grief/Loss Awareness,
Basic End of Life Awareness i.e. having difficult conversations and Advanced Care Planning,
Developing Compassionate Communities.
Our workshops will help your participants to:
Increase awareness on chosen topic,
Be confident in approaching grief and loss personally and professionally,
Have practical takeaways and tools to use in day to day life,
Use personal reflection tools to help them in their lives,
Improve communication and soft skills,
Improve tools to deal with change and difficult situations,
Increase empathy and resilience.
TESTIMONIALS
“Carly’s enthusiasm and commitment to helping us flourish has been key to our early success in shaping a Compassionate Communities team here at St Columba’s Hospice Care. We have begun working with and alongside our local communities and neighbourhoods, to engage people in conversations about death, dying, grief and loss, and to co-create meaningful and practical networks of support. We approached Carly after discovering her work on The Loss Project and the six, individually tailored mentoring sessions she offered us have been invaluable.
The depth and range of Carly’s experience in both hospice and community development settings gave her real insight into the challenges we faced; organisationally and in our own development, both personal and professional. Carly offered a safe and confidential space, masses of flexibility to decide our own priorities at each online meeting, an insightful grasp of the learning curve we were on, and lots of laughter along the way. We couldn’t have hoped for a wiser or more generous cheerleader. Thanks Carly!”
Lynn and Maggie, St Columba’s Hospice Care
"I engaged with coaching sessions with Claire during a time of transition; the sessions and Claire’s approach helped me immensely. Despite having a previous career with lots of experience and transferable skills, I was at a stage in my current career where I needed that kind voice and encouragement to help me realise not only my potential but my achievements and ability. In addition, Claire was able to adapt the sessions recognising when I may need a mentor or a coach depending on the topic of conversation. I wish I could have Claire as a permanent coach if I’m completely honest, thank you so much Claire."
Coaching client with Claire
“I found the training really helpful and think it will help to give volunteers confidence.” Polly Mann, Wick Award Community and Partnership Development Worker
“I really liked the session, it was fun despite the potentially downbeat topic!” Adam Smith, Programme Manager, Local Trust
“This single most important thing I learned was that it's ok to listen.” Wick Award End of Life Awareness Training Participant
“[My biggest takeaway was] just to talk more, feel comfortable and natural about death and see it as less negative. You can inspire other people to do the same. I’m feeling like a better help now.” Wick Award End of Life Awareness Training Participant
Wick Award, Volunteer Training
"I found it useful hearing other people's stories. It makes you feel that it's okay not to be okay."
"The way I think about my loss is less of a loss and more of a connection with an absence. This gave me a chance to catch on to memories and bring them to life again."
"I feel not so alone now about how I feel and that other people feel the same as I do. It's been great, thank you."
"I liked that it was intimate and small; it feels comfortable. If there were double the amount of people I think it would have been more anonymous/ less personal."
Various Workshop Participant feedback
'I engaged the Loss Project to deliver some workshops for the east London freelancer's Network. They were so empathetic and professional, listening to the needs of the network and even producing take-home materials for those who couldn''t attend the workshops. I'd use them again.'
Lily Einhorn, East London Freelancer's Network (Theatre)
The workshops run by the Loss Project supported Local Area Coordinators in our Network to process the different ways Loss can impact them and those they are alongside. These were excellently led sessions that created space for reflection and learning.
Rachel Tait and Nick Sinclair
Community Catalysts
