Volunteer with us
Be there for someone when they need it most
Grief is one of the most universal human experiences — and one of the loneliest. At Our House NYC, our volunteers are the heart of what makes healing possible. They show up, session after session, to hold space for people navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives. If you've ever wanted your time to matter in a deep and lasting way, we'd love for you to join us.
This role may be a fit for you if you are compassionate, kind and a good listener. No experience needed, just a desire to make an impact on your community.
As a volunteer, I have seen members begin group unable to speak about the death of their person . . .
At the end of the sessions, I have had the privilege of witnessing a transformation where people recognize they have a community of grievers in which to share their pain. The grief remains, but they see they are not alone.
-Allison, Volunteer Group Leader
What does a volunteer group leader do?
Volunteer Group Leaders co-facilitate peer grief support groups for people who have experienced the death of someone close. Working alongside a co-leader, you'll help create a welcoming environment where group members can share their experiences, express their feelings, and support one another through their grief journey.
In practice, this means guiding conversation using open-ended questions, gently redirecting when needed, and debriefing with your co-leader after each session. Your role as a volunteer is to listen deeply, ask meaningful questions, and keep the focus on the people in group.
All volunteer group leaders receive comprehensive training and ongoing clinical supervision.
The commitment is approximately 1-year, with 10–12 hours per month spent in service to community. Currently, all groups are in person. We may offer virtual groups in the future, but we don’t presently.
Two volunteer tracks: Serving adults or serving children & teens
We have two tracks: one to become a volunteer group leader for adults and one to become a volunteer group leader for children and teens.
For group leaders in the Adult Grief Support track, time will be spent co-facilitating a grief group twice a month in the evenings and in regular volunteer trainings and supervision sessions.
For group leaders in the track for children and teens, time with either be spent in our Family Support Program (twice a month in the evenings) or our School-Based Support Program (once a week during the day for 10 weeks) plus time in regular trainings and supervision sessions.
Learn more about our Programs.
Start the process
Please complete the application below and attend one of our upcoming info sessions. If you are accepted, we will register you in an upcoming training.
Each training is 20 hours long, through a mix of virtual and in-person sessions. Training includes:
Grief Education
Awareness of your own grief process
Understanding the Our House model
Upon successful completion of the application process, trainees are offered placement as volunteer group leaders. All volunteers will be asked to complete a background check prior to group assignment.
