Family Support Volunteer - Portsmouth

Simon Says Bereavement Support is a Hampshire-based charity dedicated to supporting children and young people up to the age of 18 who have experienced the death of someone important to them. Our monthly support groups provide a safe and understanding environment where young people can express their grief, build resilience, and connect with others who share similar experiences. Family Support Volunteers play a key role in ensuring that parents and carers also feel supported, informed, and understood during their child’s bereavement journey.

Simon Says Bereavement Support is looking for a Family Support Volunteer to join our support group in Portsmouth - to welcome, reassure, and support parents and carers while their children attend our monthly bereavement support groups.

What you’ll do

• Greet and support new and returning families.

• Offer 1:1 compassionate listening to those newly bereaved.

• Explain the children’s session activities and how they support grief and emotional wellbeing.

• Check in with families and signpost to other services where needed.

• Handle sensitive information confidentially and follow safeguarding procedures.

By volunteering, you’ll make a lasting difference to families navigating one of life’s hardest challenges. Family Support Volunteers help parents and carers feel understood, reassured, and connected to the support their children receive — strengthening the holistic approach that makes Simon Says such a trusted bereavement support service in Hampshire. This is a meaningful opportunity for anyone looking to volunteer in a supportive, community-focused role.

Process:

You will need an account to register your interest for this role. Once you have registered your interest you will receive an automatic email with next steps. If you have not received this in a couple of hours, please do get in touch as it may not have registered (volunteering@hiveportsmouth.org.uk). 

You will need to respond to the "Criteria Check" email to progress with this role. 

Please check your junk email folder in case any emails end up there.  Friendly reminder that the charities/organisations emails may end up here too. 

Don't forget you can add up any volunteering hours as part of Team 100 Opportunity - Hive Portsmouth or part of the Donate 100 things challenge Opportunity - Hive Portsmouth.

Skills

What you’ll bring

• Experience supporting adults (e.g., counselling, listening roles, or similar).

• Warmth, empathy, and strong communication skills.

• Confidence in speaking with families about grief and emotional support.

• Reliability and emotional resilience. What we provide

• Full training in bereavement support and safeguarding

• Ongoing support from our staff and volunteer team

•The chance to make a real impact in your local community Commitment

• 3 hours, once a month on a weekend day Grief can feel isolating—but a gentle conversation can help someone feel seen and less alone.