Grant for Nelson's Journey

Nelson's Journey

HFCT was pleased to award a grant to Nelson's Journey which provides bereavement support to children and young people in Norfolk who have experienced the death of a significant person.

Nelson's Journey

Since 1997, Nelson's Journey has been supporting children and young people aged 0-17 years in Norfolk with their bereavement needs, helping them understand and cope with their feelings following the death of a significant person such as a parent, sibling, or close friend.

In 2024, the charity supported 717 bereaved children and young people across Norfolk, continuing to meet the high demand for their services experienced since the Covid pandemic.

Services

Nelson's Journey offers a comprehensive range of services, including:

- Therapeutic activity days and residential weekends
Providing opportunities for bereaved children and young people to meet others with similar experiences and engage in bereavement support activities in a safe environment.
- 1:1 therapeutic intervention
Individual support sessions for bereaved children, delivered in-person, by phone, or online, tailored to each child's needs.
- Family Bereavement Workshops
Group workshops for families including both bereaved children and their parents/carers, improving communication and empowering families to provide support at home.
- Early Support Service
Telephone support providing information, guidance and support for families in the days and weeks immediately following a death.
- Professional training
Online training delivered by experienced Child Bereavement Support Workers for teachers, social workers and others working directly with children and young people.
- School Friends Programme
Direct engagement with schools in Norfolk to raise awareness of childhood bereavement and highlight bereavement support available in schools.

Impact

Nelson's Journey collects feedback from the families they support. Their services demonstrate significant positive outcomes:

  • 85% of children and young people report an increase in self-esteem after receiving support
  • 68% report a reduced sense of isolation
  • 65% report a positive change in communication within their family