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BeFriender Ministry

A Listening Presence

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For BeFrienders

Continuing Education for your BeFrienders

Program Leaders can purchase Trainer Guides on a variety of topics for BeFrienders’ continuing education. Each trainer guide provides all the materials needed to conduct a 2 hour continuing education session. The guides include session plans and master copies for participant materials.

Features

Each Trainer Guide is ready to use and includes everything you need to provide continuing education for BeFrienders.

  • Plan for a 2 hour continuing education session
  • List of materials needed
  • Reproducible masters of handouts
  • Scripture based reflections

Benefits

Cost-effective and affordable. This one time purchase is a cost effective way to offer quality continuing education. Once you have purchased a session, it can be kept on file and program leaders can repeat the session as needed for new BeFrienders or as a refresher.

Time-saving. You can spend valuable time as a program leader supporting your BeFrienders rather than taking time to designing your own continuing education session.

Easy to Use. The Trainer Guides are in the same format as the candidate training Trainer Guide.

Timely and Relevant. Select the topics that meet the needs of your BeFrienders. The sessions are developed for BeFrienders and reinforce the “Foundation Principles” that are essential to the ministry.

Quick and simple to order. Trainer Guides can be ordered online or by calling the national office. The trainer guides will be emailed to you in PDF format. For sessions with accompanying DVD’s, the DVD’s will be sent via USPS.

Accessible. The Trainer Guides are PDF files and require Acrobat Reader version 5.0 or higher to open. Acrobat Readers is available free at www.adobe.com.

Continuing Education Topics

Moving Forward Together
Processing Pandemic in our Lives and Ministry

In this session, BeFrienders reflect on the impact of the pandemic in their lives and ministry so they can be prepared to be a listening presence for others. Program Leaders facilitate the session utilizing questions provided in the following areas: “The Impact of the Pandemic in your Life, Transitioning/Moving Forward and The Pandemic and your Ministry. $35

Evaluating & Ending a BeFriender Relationship 

Excellent first choice for continuing education for BeFrienders. This session provides guidelines and role-plays for evaluating and ending BeFriender relationships. Participants examine what is “in their cup” about ending a relationship and discuss strategies for easing transition that endings bring for themselves and those they befriend. $70

Power of Active Listening

Participants examine their beliefs about listening and being listeners and how their beliefs and behaviors impact their listening role. Through story, participants understand how to listen with their eyes and heart, as well as with their ears. $70

Listening Skills: Part 1

Participants examine and practice attending and following, two of the active listening skills used in Level One mutuality. They learn how to be present with another, create a listening space, and embrace silence. Participants practice verbal and nonverbal encouragers and appropriate questions to help the storyteller reveal his or her world to the BeFriender. $70

Listening Skills: Part 2

Participants examine and practice the skills of responding with understanding. They learn how to respond to the emotions, meaning, and thoughts of storytellers. Skills are practiced using a visit that is included in the materials. $70

Checking the Pulse of Your Group

In this session, program leaders gather information from BeFrienders to evaluate how the group is working together and toward the mission of BeFriender Ministry. This session is recommended for annual use for program evaluation, as well as at times of transition or challenge.  $70

Dying & Death (includes DVD)

The session includes a 58-minute video that offers the personal stories of three people who share how they came to accept the fact that they are dying. Through these stories participants learn more about the journey toward death and how to support those who are dying. Participants learn how to approach and discuss sensitive issues about death. Letting go, acceptance, and spirituality also are explored.  $95

Coping with Loss (includes DVD)

The session includes a DVD that shares the stories of family, friends, and caregivers of a woman who had died three years before the video was made (Cindy, from the video “Just Ordinary Days” that accompanies the continuing education session “Dying & Death”). Participants see how responses to loss are hampered by myths and clichés. They also examine how relationships with those who have died are transformed as the grieving process unfolds. $95

Order Continuing Education Sessions

Primary Sidebar

Virtual Foundations for BeFriender Ministry

Training for New BeFriender Leaders

April 20, 27; May 4, 11, 2023
8:30 – 5:00 Central Time
Early Bird Discount ends March 20
—Register April 20, 27; May 4, 11, 2023

June 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023
Virtual Workshop
Early Bird Discount ends: May 7
—Register June 7, 14, 21, 28, 2023

Download our Virtual Foundations Event Flyer

See our full foundations schedule


Additional Virtual Events

Winter 2023
Virtual BeFriender Candidate Training

Deb

“We are living in a unique, stressful, anxious time that BeFriender Ministry is uniquely qualified to respond to.”

Deb

Pastor Dan

“I encourage any congregation to receive this training! It was well organized and very user friendly. We all feel prepared and excited to begin this Caring Ministry that we feel has the power to transform our congregation.”

Pastor Dan

Chaplain John

“The BeFriender teams on our campuses have been invaluable in doing phone ministry with fellow residents during this time of social isolation. Some campuses have divided their total population among the BeFrienders so that everyone gets an occasional call!”

Chaplain John

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BeFriender Ministry – A Listening Presence

1120 E 80th Street, Suite 105
Bloomington, MN 55420
952-767-0244

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