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In the Spotlight...
02 Nov 2023
Volunteer Support Group Facilitator
Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario
Duties
The facilitator will:
- Support the goals of PSSO in local communities with an emphasis on providing
information and fellowship for people living with Parkinson’s and their families. - Attend ongoing training/education and Community of Practice meetings provided
by PSSO to increase their knowledge about Parkinson’s disease and to enhance
their skills as a facilitator. - Ensure all public notices for the group contain the group information, PSSO logo,
and a reference to the group being a program of PSSO. - Provide PSSO with updated group lists, including names, addresses, telephone
numbers, and email addresses regularly. - Provide an attendance record (First & Last Name of each participant) to PSSO
immediately following each group session. This will be submitted using the
volunteer portal “My Impact Page.” - Document all hours of volunteering using the volunteer portal “My Impact Page,”
which should include all time spent each month planning as well as group
facilitation. - Notify PSSO of any important information immediately as it pertains to the overall
group or specific client participants (questions, resources, health changes, death in
the family, etc.).
The facilitator works with the group to:
- Act in accordance with the Volunteer Code of Conduct (see page 12)
- Define the role and emphasize that the facilitator is not an expert in all things.
- Conduct group meetings in a caring, respectful, and compassionate manner.
- Promote the value of empowerment, encouraging individuals to be involved in
making decisions about their own care. - Establish, with input from group participants, a list of ground rules and goals for the
group and review the list with the group on a regular basis. - Foster an opportunity for people to interact with others dealing with similar health
concerns and facilitate the sharing of their experience living with Parkinson’s. - Encourage group members to participate in PSSO programs, education events, and
fundraising events. - Invite group participants to connect with PSSO staff and programs as necessary.
- Welcome and introduce new participants to the group, explain group guidelines such as confidentiality and help them connect with other group participants.
Group Interaction & Communication
The facilitator will:
- Ensure group participants are educated about and adhere to the confidentiality
policy. - Moderate the discussions in the group to ensure that all participants have an equal
opportunity to share if they wish. This may require the facilitator to enhance their
skills to ensure that participants that are talkative do not monopolize the
discussion. Gently redirect attention to less vocal participants. - Encourage a balance in discussions by encouraging the group to consider
constructive solutions when negative issues are being addressed. Although there
will be times when participants need to freely express and share their feelings, even
if their tone seems negative. - Remind the group that the symptoms, treatment, and progression of Parkinson’s
are unique to each person, so others’ experiences may be different from one’s own. - Strive to present information and encourage discussion that is honest while at the
same time promotes a feeling of optimism. - Remind participants to adopt a “consumers beware” approach to any information
shared in the group and do their own research or speak with a medical professional
before actin