Accompanying a child with a life-threatening illness or his/her siblings
Ambulanter Kinderhospizdienst, Björn Schulz Stiftung
- Disabled People
- Families
- Kids & Teenagers
- Hospice Work
- Mentoring, Sponsoring & Career Coaching
About the volunteering opportunity
Family support - Voluntary support for families with children or teenagers with life-shortening illnesses
For more than 20 years, family companions from our outpatient children's hospice service (AKHD) have been supporting families with children and teenagers suffering from life-shortening illnesses. They give time and support the families in their everyday life. Often for many months. Once a week, they are in the family for about three hours and accompany the child or his or her siblings. The family companions are prepared for volunteer work in a course (100 hours).
The volunteer family counsellors are coordinated by the coordinators of the AKHD and receive continuous socio-pedagogical support.
Your Tasks
- Accompanying and caring for the child with a life-shortening illness or
- Leisure activities for the sibling
- if required, someone to talk to for the reference persons
- Support of projects, such as the Parents' Café
What's needed
- Participation in the preparation course (100h)
- Commitment to long-term voluntary work
- on average 1x/ week 3h time
- Dealing with the topics of illness, dying and own losses
- independent action
-participation in supervision
- extended certificate of good conduct
- medically certified health suitability
Time required
Important notice
- Confidentiality
- mental stability
Where?
Ambulanter Kinderhospizdienst, Björn Schulz Stiftung
The Outpatient Children's Hospice Service (AKHD) offers advice, support and accompaniment for families with a child with a life-limiting illness at home and works closely with the network partners in the help system.
Trained volunteer family counsellors are available to assist the families. Depending on the family situation, they are in the family once a week for about three hours. They are discussion partners, provide practical help in everyday life and accompany sick children and their siblings.
The work of the AKHD begins as soon as the diagnosis is made and continues through the long period of illness until the time of farewell and mourning.