Margaret J. Wheatley once said: “There is no greater power for change than a community discovering what it cares about.” We are finding more and more that communities in the areas we serve want to change the way people talk with kids about dying, death, and grief.
The first installment of Home Hospice Association’s “How to Talk with Kids About Dying, Death, and Grief” workshop series, which was hosted on September 26th in partnership with Hamilton Public Libraries, was a great success!
This was the best turnout we’ve had so far. We saw community members from various backgrounds all come together to explore how to talk to kids about these stigmatized and sensitive topics. Our participants included a father learning how to approach this subject, a grandmother caring for a child who’d recently lost a parent, and a whole host of folks from other community organizations looking for ways to support the kids in their care. We were delighted to see that these educational workshops are garnering increasing interest from many different people.
These workshops were conceptualized by Terri Viola-Wilson, a former elementary school teacher who has had a great deal of first-hand experience with how NOT speaking about dying, death, and grief with children can have detrimental impacts on them throughout their lives. Terri continues to expand her knowledge on childhood trauma and child and youth grieving. As Terri delivers these workshops, she encounters numerous stories that emphasize the importance of the work that she does with Home Hospice Association.
Here is some feedback we received from community members who attended the September 26th event:
As we continue to offer this and other unique and impactful C.A.N.D.Y. Café workshops in our communities, we expect that many more lives will be touched through the knowledge, care, and support that this program provides.
If your library or community agency is interested in hosting our "How to Talk with Kids about Dying, Death & Grief" workshop or our "Real Talk" youth sessions for your clients, team or community, we’d love to hear from you! Email C.A.N.D.Y. Cafe Program Manager, Terri, at terri@homehospiceassociation.com for more details.