Home Hospice Association

Talking with Kids about Dying, Death & Grief Certificate Program

Are you a community leader or care professional who works with children, teens and young adults? Have you ever found yourself at a loss for words when the subject of dying, death or grief has come up? If so, HHA’s Talking with Kids About Dying, Death & Grief Certificate Program is for you. Join us to gain the skills and confidence needed to navigate these challenging conversations with compassion and sensitivity.

About the program

Designed for professionals who work with young people, this Certificate Program equips you with the tools and techniques to confidently navigate conversations about dying, death, and grief with the youth in your care.

The goal of the program is to ensure that, under your guidance, young people feel:

Safe enough to express their thoughts and feelings about dying, death, and grief, whether verbally, in writing, or through other means.

Comfortable discussing these difficult topics with the adults in their lives.

Confident that when they encounter death for the first time or in the future, they will have the necessary tools to grieve in a healthy and constructive manner.

Upcoming In-class Dates (online via Google Meet):

November 7-December 19, 2024  (6 + 1 sessions, Thursday evenings from 7PM-9PM - EST)

April 10-May 15, 2025 (6 sessions, Thursday evenings from 7PM-9PM - EST)

Training Fee:

$500.00 Standard Training Fee

$375.00 for HHA-Trained Practitioners & Team Members

Payment in full is required to hold your spot in a selected session.

Please note: Registration fees are non-refundable. If you can't make your session, you can re-book yourself for a later date provided we receive at least 30 days notice (before the start of the session that you already registered for). Forfeited fees are applied to our scholarship fund and a tax receipt will be issued to you. 

Included With your Fee

1 evening in-class (online) session per week for 6 or 7 consecutive weeks (the extended 7-week course includes an optional Parents & Guardians Death Cafe)

Approximately 6 hours of independent study and assignments

All course materials and resources are provided

Why choose Home Hospice Association as your Death Educators?

Since 2014, Home Hospice Association has been a dedicated leader in quality and compassionate death education. We created and mobilized Canada’s first Infant & Pregnancy Loss Support and Death Doula Trainings, delivered hundreds of community outreach educational events, and offer a large portfolio of workshops. In addition to ensuring equitable access to comprehensive end-of-life care, our mission is to normalize death by helping people move towards a greater understanding of their mortality.

Our educators come from diverse backgrounds, bringing knowledge and experience in communication, spirituality, cultural awareness, diversity, death and bereavement care. Each of our educators is committed to helping draw the circle of care wider for those facing death and their loved ones, embracing a holistic approach to the end-of-life journey.

Meet the Facilitator

Terri Viola-Wilson

Terri is C.A.N.D.Y. Café's Program Manager and HHA's Subject Matter Expert for Talking with Kids about Dying, Death and Grief. She is a retired teacher with over 30 years of engaging with young people in the classroom, on sports teams, in choirs, and in social justice movements. During those years, one of her passions was helping to improve communication between her students and the adults who cared for them.

With the mental welfare of young people in mind, Terri helped develop the C.A.N.D.Y. Café program. Drawing on both her personal and professional experiences, as well as her continuing education in childhood trauma and child and youth grieving, Terri brings empathy and knowledge to everyone she encounters through C.A.N.D.Y. Café - including young people of all ages and the adults who live, work, and care for them.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Understand specific reasons why it is important for us to help change the “taboo” approach to dying, death, and grief in our society, particularly when it comes to youth mental health

Understand how the human brain develops, with a focus on the developmental stages of children and teens

Gain an appreciation for the uniqueness of each young person

Understand how developmental stages influence how young people relate to dying, death, and grief

Learn specific listening strategies that will encourage young people to trust and talk to you

Learn how to guide young people to empower them to find the best answers within themselves

Learn how to identify when a professional should be recommended to help a young person

TOPICS COVERED

Grief

MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) in Canada

Suicide

When Someone is Diagnosed/Dying

Resilience

Effective Listening and What to Listen For

Brain Development and Developmental Stages

Helping Young People Identify Emotions

Strategies to Engage Young People in Conversation