A group facilitator's role includes making sure everyone in the group is looked after, including themselves. An important principle to keep in mind is, 'first, do no harm'. People bereaved by suicide are coping with loss and grief and are themselves more vulnerable to suicide risk.
If you are facilitating a group, you need to:
- Look after yourself. If you or other group facilitators are bereaved by suicide, make sure you have worked on your own loss so that you can offer support to others.
- Know what to do if a group member needs more support. Be aware of what services are available in your area and how to refer people if they need extra help.
- Set clear expectations about behaviour in the group. Make sure group members are looking after each other and respecting each other.
Guidelines help to create a sense of safety and boundaries for group members, and help to define expected behaviour.
Knowing that the group has agreed on guidelines will help members feel safe to share. As part of organising a group, you will need to establish and communicate the group's guidelines. The group committee or facilitators may develop them, or you may hold an open discussion with group members to agree guidelines.
Guidelines should include clear agreements about respecting privacy and confidentiality. This includes not talking about who is in the group, or the content of discussions, outside of group meetings. An exception to this is when there is danger or threat to life.
Group leaders need procedures to deal with risks and this might include breaking confidentiality. For examples of group guidelines see pages 52–53 of the
handbook.
