Help2Grieve receive extra funding
Island children who have been bereaved are set to benefit from a major lottery grant
A group of children’s professionals have been working with YMCA Isle of Wight to establish a bereavement service for island children and young people. Their hard work has now been rewarded by a Big Lottery Fund grant of £457,523 from the Reaching Communities scheme. The award will allow the bereavement service, called ‘help2grieve’, to be established this year. The service will be based at YMCA Winchester House in Shanklin and will launch in late autumn 2010, working with babies through to 18 year olds.
When children and young people do not receive the help they need to deal with grief there can be serious consequences in terms of their health, social, emotional and academic well-being. The long term effects of unresolved or complicated grief can have a huge negative impact on people’s lives and communities. Help2grieve is aimed at promoting timely help to avoid unnecessary suffering and complications associated with grief.
Help2grieve will provide therapeutic services to young people and families. It will also provide assistance to schools and community groups to help them to recognise and meet grieving children’s support needs, or where there is a community loss impacting on children. “We intend to develop help2grieve as a service offering high quality information, support and training, group work and events, along with 1-1 and family support for children utilising professional bereavement counsellors.” says Kath Smith, retired health professional and a key driving force for the set up of the service.
YMCA Isle of Wight was quick to recognise the need for a dedicated bereavement service for children and young people on the Island. “This is an extremely important provision and exactly the type of service that the YMCA is dedicated to supporting. I am delighted this funding has been secured so we can get help2grieve up and running. This grant is exactly what we need to get started but continued support will be essential to our future and there are lots of different ways that people and organisations can help.” Emma Corina, YMCA Area Director Isle of Wight and South East Hampshire.
