3.2.2 - Volunteer Orientation Web Site - Perinatal Bereavement Services Ontario

3.2.2

1-to-1 Support

	1-to-1 Support relationships can be short term, or can turn into special friendships that last for years

A More Individual Approach

In certain circumstance bereaved parents are unable to attend support groups. It may be because of location, family responsibilities or work schedule. In these situations, many parents find PBSO’s 1-to-1 Support meets their needs.

PBSO is a self-help organization, so parents who are interested in 1-to-1 Support must refer themselves by calling the PBSO line and leaving a message. A trained PBSO staff member who is also a bereaved parent, will return the calls and speak with parents.
Every effort is made to match new parents with a Volunteer who has had a similar loss. Shared experiences may include gestation of the baby, circumstances of the loss or family situation.

Once a Volunteer/Client match has been made, the Volunteer and parent arrange a mutually convenient contact schedule. For safety reasons, Volunteers contact the parents and are not required to disclose their telephone numbers or addresses.

1-to-1 Support relationships can be short term, or can turn into special friendships that last for years. Regardless of the time spent together, this type of support can be extremely helpful for parents, and very rewarding for Volunteers.