BECOME A GOOD GRIEF CAMP MENTOR

Deadline to Apply: Oct. 3

Each year, we bring together children from all over the nation who have experienced a suicide loss of a loved one who served in the military. These children are all part of the living legacy of military service.

Children and teens come together and are paired with military mentors who understand the military and can companion these children and teens throughout this special weekend. These children learn how we, as a nation, honor those who have served and sacrificed, and they also learn coping skills for handling their own grief. They meet other children their own age and gain a peer support network they can lean on throughout the year. The children, with their mentors, will go through grief work and learn through experiences within the group and their mentor's guidance that the military supports them and honors their loved one. Here they learn that they are not alone and this is a safe place to talk and just be — wherever they are in their grief.

The TAPS Good Grief Camp gives youngsters a solid foundation on which to build a healthy future following a tragic loss of a loved one by suicide. TAPS kids learn coping skills and will discover the feelings they are experiencing are normal reactions to an abnormal event — the untimely death of a parent or loved one.

Apply now to serve as a Good Grief Camp mentor at the National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp.

Event Details

If you register as a mentor, you need to be available for the entire weekend during the dates and times of the Good Grief Camp listed below. If you can't make a full commitment, please consider registering as a volunteer instead.

Mandatory Training

5 OCT 1800-2100 OR 6 OCT 1200-1500

Please plan to attend one of the training sessions. Suggested but not mandatory training can be found on the TAPS Online Training website. 

Good Grief Camp Dates and Times

7 OCT 0700-2200
8 OCT 0700-2000

All events, including training, will take place, or depart from, the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, 11111 North 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85020.

Free parking is available for Good Grief Camp mentors at the resort.

Cost

There is no cost for mentors as all meals will be provided during training and throughout the weekend.

Lodging

To ease the financial burden of mentors from out of town, we are pleased to provide lodging to those who need assistance AND who live more than 45 minutes away. These rooms will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. If demand is high, there may be up to four people per room, meaning you would have to share a bed. Please note that these rooms are gender specific, and we cannot accommodate couples in the same room. Please let us know when you register if you require lodging during the event.

Uniform

Dress is casual for Good Grief Camp, and shorts, jeans, sandals, tennis shoes, etc. are appropriate. Each mentor will receive TAPS T-shirts to be worn for all activities.

TAPS GOOD GRIEF CAMP MENTOR REQUIREMENTS

Each Good Grief Camp Mentor must:

• Currently serve in the military (active/guard/reserve status), be retired from the military, or be an OIF/OEF era veteran
• Complete and pass a security background check
• Attend one training session
• Be on time and ready to participate in all Good Grief Camp scheduled events and functions throughout the weekend
• Be willing to be a "big brother" or "big sister" to a child who has lost a loved one in the military
• Be present and companion a child while also being cognizant of your own grief and loss of a military friend or family member
• Show empathy toward children and surviving families as they are grieving
• Use good judgment when assessing safety for children
• Set and enforce good boundaries with your mentee
• Create a safe place and an environment of trust and acceptance for your mentee
• Not fraternize with fellow mentors, mentees, TAPS staff or adult survivors during the event. Your focus should be on your mentee and his or her well-being.
• Intervene when necessary and keep group leaders informed if there are concerns
• Honor time constraints
• Follow directions from group leaders and TAPS staff
• Not partake in alcohol during Good Grief Camp nor let it affect your role as a mentor each day
• Demonstrate good moral and responsible conduct around all children. You should not use profanity, tell “drinking" stories” or make inappropriate comments. 
• Be willing to withhold any personal political views as this may complicate the grieving process for children. No anti-war comments will be tolerated.
• Be willing to continue the mentor role throughout the rest of the year for the child’s birthday, special events or holidays.

For any questions, contact mentors@taps.org or 800-959-TAPS (8277).