Training Basics

We provide training for Being With volunteers by working in conjunction with churches, ministries, youth groups, schools, organizations, or health care institutions. Because Being With is not responsible or liable for volunteers, training is offered only in partnership with these local facilities and organizations. Individuals are not able to receive volunteer training "one-on-one" through Being With.

Being With training includes education in the "Life Principles" curriculum, with an emphasis on the four levels of happiness, quality of life, love, and suffering. It also includes practical application with case studies and discussion of actual visitation scenarios. Our training focuses on helping volunteers to look for the intrinsic dignity, unique mystery, and inherent "loveableness" of every person, no matter how severe the suffering, or how debilitating the condition. We help show volunteers how to express profound and sincere gratitude to those who generously allow us to share in their suffering, to inspire a sense of dignity and mystery, and to find deep meaning and purpose in their own journey as volunteers.

Training does NOT include instruction specific to the institution at which volunteers will be placed (such as hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, etc.). These institutions may want volunteers to also go through their own volunteer training or orientation.

Being With consultants can provide in-person training seminars at your location, or distance training kits facilitated by local leaders.

How to Set Up a Training

We'll use the example of a church that wants to establish a core group of Being With volunteers.

STEP ONE. The first step is to set up a meeting with the volunteer coordinators of a local nursing home, assisted-living residence, hospital, hospice, or home health care agency. Print out all the Being With pages from this website to share with them. Inform them of what the Being With project is, and what you would like to do. Let them know that you would like to partner with their facility by providing volunteers who are trained in the Being With philosophy. But also let them know that the volunteers will ultimately be their responsibility, and that they will be liable for ultimate volunteer conduct. Thus, they may want to put volunteers through their own additional training to acquaint volunteers with procedures and policies particular to their facility. You may also wish to use this Being With training for your own home visitation ministries, rather than partner with another facility like a nursing home. You can do either, or both.

STEP TWO. Contact Being With to set up a training date. You will be responsible for a consulting fee and travel expenses, as well as expenses for promotions, advertising, and hosting the event.

STEP THREE. Promote and advertise the training in your church and community. It is up to you to decide whether to charge registrants for attending the training. You may wish to include other churches of similar or even different denominations to participate in this project. This will help to defray some of the cost. You might also talk with the health care facility you are partnering with, and ask them to help you with all or part of the training cost. Another option is to apply for a grant with a local foundation to cover costs. Feel free to invite other ministries to this event which might also benefit from the training, such as soup kitchen ministries, youth groups, home visitation, and other service groups such as Stephen's Ministries, Cabrini Ministries, Prison Ministries, Meals on Wheels, or homebound outreaches.

STEP FOUR. Training usually takes place on a Saturday and runs from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM. The morning session includes instruction on the Being With (Life Principles) philosophy. The afternoon session includes practical case studies and visitation scenarios. Registered individuals who are not interested in becoming Being With volunteers do not need to stay for the afternoon sessions.

STEP FIVE. Following the training, schedule a time for volunteers to receive training at the facility where they will be volunteering. Most facilities will probably require tuberculosis testing, require that volunteers be free from infectious diseases, and offer training on do's and don'ts, basic hygiene, facility orientation, and privacy laws and rules. Again, it will be up to the facility to ultimately certify volunteers according to their own standards.

STEP SIX. It is good to have monthly meetings where volunteers can network, share stories and journal entries, and receive additional training, advice, and encouragement.

STEP SEVEN. In future years, once a core team has gone through the training, additional volunteers can be trained by using Being With© training kits and facilitator guidebooks which will soon be available.

Organizing a Church-wide Being With Program: "For the Love of God!"

We recommend that interested churches work with us to organize our highly popular, church-wide Being With program called "For the Love of God!" This inspirational, comprehensive education and service program includes several events which are meant to involve the entire parish or congregation in the project. The time of year during which this event can occur is very flexible, but we'll use the following example to illustrate how "For the Love of God!" events are organized:

1. SEPTEMBER. Under the direction of their youth group leaders, church teenagers design quilt squares which are then sewn into quilts by local church or community quilters. This may take several weeks depending on the number of quilts that need to be assembled. It is usually good to plan for between 12 and 24 quilts.
2. Church coordinators meet with a local nursing home and plan a date, following the presentation in step (4) below, to have the youth come for a one-day visit to spend time with residents and distribute the quilts. Nursing home coordinators should work with you to plan a gathering of residents based on the number of quilts you expect to provide.
3. After getting permission from the nursing home, contact the local media to let them know about the project, the date of the church presentation, and the nursing home visit. Tell them about Being With©, and how your entire church is involved in the ministry. They are usually very interested in sending out a local reporter to take photographs when the youth go to visit the nursing home, and to write a story about the project. This is a wonderful way to educate your entire community about the dignity and sanctity of human life even in its most vulnerable stages. You are welcome to direct reporters to our office for more information and background.
4. OCTOBER. A professional Being With consultant from Healing the Culture comes to your church. During Saturday and Sunday services or Masses, the speaker can deliver short "pep talks" to generate interest and enthusiasm from the congregation or parish. Later that evening or the next day, the speaker delivers an inspirational, dynamic, and interactional talk to the entire church community on the four levels of happiness, the meaning of love, true quality of life, the purpose of suffering, and the dignity of the suffering person. Near the end of the talk, the youth unveil their quilts, and the director of the local nursing home or other partner facility says a few words. Worshippers are encouraged to sign up for Being With training and to serve as chaperones during the youth quilt drop. The media can be present at this event. During this same trip, the consultant also provides a full-day training for Being With volunteers.
5. Sometime within the next two weeks, the youth group goes to the nursing home to deliver their quilts, with media present for photographs and interviews. Visits usually last about two hours and include time for greeting residents, spending time with them, and enjoying refreshments, music, and even entertainment. The church continues the ministry by implementing its Being With volunteer program.

Sample "For the Love of God!" Budget

The following is an estimate of what it might cost for a church to sponsor an entire Being With© "For the Love of God!" project, complete with Consultant fees and expenses, quilt production, advertising, training, and materials.

Advertising and Promotions	$200
Consultant's Speaking and Training Fee for two days	$2,000
Consultant's Travel Expenses	$400
Materials for 20 quilts including muslin, blue fabric, batting, sewing supplies, fabric pens	$200
Training Kit: "Finding Peace" Videos "Healing the Culture" Book "For the Love of God!" CD "Four Levels" Commitment Cards "Suffering" Learning Notes "Being With©" Pledge Sheets	$300
TOTAL COST:	$3,100