There are many volunteer opportunities at The Cove throughout Connecticut. What are your areas of interest? Call The Cove coordinating office in Meriden and a staff member will be happy to discuss with you the many volunteer options available:

Program Facilitator at one of our five Cove Sites -Requires specific training
Work on the annual fund raising events including the gala, golf tournament,
5K Race and Memorial Walk and Fun Run, and other events
Become a volunteer in the coordinating office
Work on planning and implementing program related events such a
Educational Conferences and the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
Do research on the computer for the Marketing and Grants
Become a member of the Board of Directors
Write press releases, cultivate media in your area on behalf of The Cove
and work on the Tidings Newsletter under the guidance of a Cove representative

For more information, the latest news, or to find out how to get involved, visit the website.

www.covect.org

Saturday, May 3, 2008
6:30 pm-10:00 pm
The Marriott Hotel, Hartford

A very special event, this elegant spring evening includes a wine tasting, silent and live auction.

For further information and reservations, please call The Cove at: (203) 634-0500

One of the goals of The Cove is to provide continuing education and information for Cove volunteers, professionals working with children in schools-therapeutically and in children/teen programs-as well as for parents, guardians and foster parents. The Annual Educational Conference features experts in the field of children^s and teen bereavement, providing a range of topics to educate participants in methods of working with grieving kids and their families by increasing skills and knowledge.

An eight week, peer support group model, The Cove launched this successful program in 2005 at The Thomaston Center School in Thomaston, Connecticut, out of the need to reach grieving teens and children where they spend the majority of their time-in their schools. Research has demonstrated that children's school bereavement groups offer a safe, natural environment for children to support one another as they express their losses and move through the healing process.
The Cove "Good Grief" School Program has empowered hundreds of grieving children on all grade levels to address unresolved grief amd trauma by giving them the tools needed to promote hope and healing. School and healthcare professionals, trained in The Cove's proven methods, help prevent negative consequences of unresolved grief and loss, ranging from difficulty with classroom concentration and schoolwork, behavioral problems, social isolation and withdrawal, depression, rage, drugs, alcohol, even suicide. Students explain that one of the greatest benefits of the program is they no longer feel misunderstood and alone. They become encouraged and inspired by sharing similar experiences

The Cove Urban/Community Grief Program includes both training and structure. Once an urban community organization's program professional and facilitators are trained by a Cove representative, the program will include eight weekly sessions with grieving children and teens within that urban community.
A Cove representative observes and provides support to the urban community program professional, who could be a pastor, bereavement counselor, or other designated individuals. The program runs for the eight sessions held once a week at an urban community site. If an additional eight week series is needed, The Cove will provide a program with more in-depth sessions for the children and teens and caregivers will be encouraged to be part of these sessions. We feel that family involvement is vital toward helping the children and teens through their healing process, and family involvement on some level is greatly encouraged.

The Cove offers seminars, conferences, workshops, and training sessions developed to assist concerned adults and professionals in recognizing and understanding the grieving process in children, including the detection of grief issues that contribute to and complicate other developmental processes. All who work directly or indirectly with children benefit from this training series, and, as it may be specifically customized, the training topics are designed to increase understanding of children's grief with focus and intent; broadening the professionals' perspective and ensuring that the needs of children in bereavement are effectively addressed