A Promise of Hope: Teenage Youth Bereavement Project
Our Somewhere For Us project in Northern Ireland had the pleasure of working in partnership with Funeral Partners NI in the creation of ‘A Promise of Hope’ project in the form of a physical resource and four grief support videos. Our young people were at the heart of this project from deciding the topics of each video, the name of the project, the logo and even down to the very content to include in the hope of supporting as many bereaved young people as possible.
The short films include testimonies from our young people about their own grief journey, discussion of personal experience following loss, and guidance on how to address grief.
From discussing the individuality of each loss to the feelings young people have surrounding death, the videos aim to educate and offer support and advice to those navigating their route on their grief journey. Entitled ‘Coping Immediately After a Death’, ‘Birthdays and Anniversaries’, ‘Coping at School or College’ and ‘How to be a Grief Ally’, they offer guidance to help prevent isolation but equally promote self-care and time alone to process the world-changing event that is the death of a loved one. Our young people also discuss milestones including anniversaries and birthdays in the aftermath of a loss and how to cope with and mark the occasions.
You might have found yourself here as someone you love has experienced the death of someone special to them. You may be thinking, ‘what is a grief ally and how can I be one?’. A ‘grief ally’ is simply someone who wants to show up and be present for their friend who is grieving, in whatever way is helpful to them. There are many ways in which you can support a bereaved young person.
Going back to school after someone you love has died can be really difficult. Some young people may be glad to go back to get back to a routine and also have the support of their friends. Other young people may not want to go back, worrying about how they will cope and what they will be asked or have to say to their friends and teachers.
Grieving the loss of a loved one is hard all year round. However, grief can feel much more intense around special times of the year such as birthdays, anniversaries and holiday times.
The days and weeks following the death of someone close to you can feel overwhelming and sometimes all we can do is take it minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. It is important to remember that there is no timeline for grief and no right or wrong way to respond. Grief affects everyone differently – even brothers and sisters in the same family, due to the different experiences and bonds we have shared with our special person.
