Bereavement Support
The Glimmer Project
A bereavement initiative offering comfort, connection, and a Glimmer of Hope.
The Glimmer Project supports children and young people through those who care for them most. Our work blends trauma-informed practice with creative, developmentally appropriate resources that help adults, parents, carers, teachers, youth workers, and community leaders, confidently and compassionately support bereaved young people.
Through tools like the Glimmer Box Project and our Glimmer Guides, we equip adults to create safe spaces, spark difficult but healing conversations, and nurture connection, resilience, and emotional expression.
We strengthen the circle of care around children and young people, ensuring that no child has to face emotional distress or grief alone.
At the heart of our offer is the Glimmer Box Project, Northern Ireland’s largest peer-led grief education initiative, where every box is handcrafted by bereaved families, for bereaved children and young people.
Each box is carefully curated, filled with bespoke, meaningful items that help the child process grief, honour memories, and make sense of loss. Every Glimmer Box also includes a full 8-week guidance pack for the adults around them, giving parents, carers, and teachers the tools and language to confidently support their child’s emotional journey.
We know that children and young people do not grieve alone. That’s why we also support the adults in their lives through clear, gentle guidance and resources, including our Glimmer Guides. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, youth worker, or caregiver, we’ll help you feel equipped and empowered to walk alongside a grieving child with care and confidence.
Everything we create is shaped in collaboration with children, young people, families, educators, and mental health professionals. Our goal is simple yet vital: To ensure no child has to face grief alone, and no adult feels unprepared to help.
Even in the midst of loss, there is always a Glimmer of Hope.
The Bereavement Support Pyramid
Helping every child, young person, family, and community find a Glimmer of Hope through grief.
Grief is universal, but the support each person needs may be very different.
Our Bereavement Support Pyramid guides how we respond to children, young people, and families at every stage:
Why a Pyramid?
- Most people (Tier 1) benefit from a grief-aware, compassionate community.
- Some (Tier 2) need added comfort, structured activities, or thoughtful support.
- A few (Tier 3) require focused, specialist intervention.
We’re committed to meeting each person where they are with the right level of support, always guided by hope.
Tier 1 – Grief Literacy for Everyone (Universal Support)
For the whole population.
At the foundation of our work is grief literacy, creating a society where grief is understood, acknowledged, and compassion is instinctive.
- Awareness training for schools, workplaces, youth programmes, and community groups
- Guidance and resources that make conversations about death, loss, and remembrance easier
- Hope Walks and community events that bring people together to honour and remember
- Tools for supporting friends, family members, colleagues, or young people through grief
When we understand grief, we can offer a Glimmer of Hope. This tier builds a compassionate foundation where grief is no longer hidden but held, by all of us.
Tier 2 – Additional Bereavement Support (Targeted Support)
For those needing more help and structured support.
When someone needs a little more than everyday understanding, we offer creative, connection-based supports designed to honour grief and nurture resilience.
- The Glimmer Box Project
Northern Ireland’s most significant peer-led bereavement initiative, created by bereaved families, for bereaved children and young people.
Each Glimmer Box is:
- Individually handcrafted with bespoke, meaningful items
- Designed to nurture expression, remembrance, and continuing bonds
- Paired with a full 8-week guidance pack for parents/carers to help the child process grief
- A precious bridge of empathy, created and shared through lived experience
A Glimmer Box says: “You are not alone. Your grief matters. And together, we keep love alive.”
Additional Supports
- Support Groups: creating safe spaces for shared experience and emotional connection
- Specialist Projects: bringing therapeutic creativity into partnership with community groups and organisations
This tier builds a circle of community care, echoing the Glimmer of Hope that comes when people come together to heal.
Tier 3 – Specialist Resilience Interventions (Focused, Skilled Support)
For individuals or families with deeper or ongoing needs.
When grief becomes complex, overwhelming, or prolonged, we offer focused therapeutic support that gently rebuilds hope and strength.
- Counselling: compassionate, clinically informed support for children, young people, and adults
- Resilience Coaching: strengths-based emotional support for individuals navigating change
- Let’s GROW Together: a specialist relational resilience programme for parent & child pairs
Delivered by qualified practitioners, this tier provides structured, steady support designed to rebuild stability and strengthen emotional resilience.
You’re Never Alone
Wherever someone is in their grief, there is a place for them here.
We are ready to walk beside you and help you find a Glimmer of Hope for yourself, or someone you love.
Our Glimmer Events:
Our creative sessions, Threads of Comfort and Craft with Purpose, offer gentle spaces to connect, reflect, and make something meaningful in memory of loved ones. Whether you’re crafting for yourself or for our Glimmer Boxes, these events bring comfort, creativity, and community together.
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