The Student Grief Network

I want to support someone

Hello. Loss can be a hard thing to address, so thank you for being here. Whether you are a professional, friend, or family member, we hope to share some useful resources for better understanding grief and knowing where to start with support.

Everyone is different. Try to avoid judgement or assumptions. Sometimes it’s best to ask the person what they need. Keep questions open, like “Do you want to talk about…” and “Is there anything you think would be helpful?”. If you’re not sure what to say or how to help, it’s okay to admit that: “I am struggling to find the right words, or know how to support, but I want you to know I care”. Here are some useful places to start learning more about grief and ideas for support:

If you know them personally…

Start here: Understanding grief and how it can impact someone.

Tips for Supporting Someone – includes a helpful video for friends!

Supporting a grieving teenager | Winston’s Wish Resource for parents. Winston’s Wish also have a helpline where you can get advice.

If you work at a university…

Our Framework and Guides page is a great place to start. Our Framework outlines WHY this is important and WHAT universities can do. There are also two webinars to watch back, a guide for setting up a support group, and a ‘student grief toolkit’.

If you’re working specifically with international students, take a look at our collab with UKCISA

If you want training, we offer a half day session for a group, but can do webinars too. The feedback has been amazing. Details, testimonials and prices here.