Journalist launches bereavement foundation for young adults

May 14, 2023 News

A year after losing his mother…

Kaieteur News – Losing a parent, particularly a mother can be extremely traumatic and heart-wrenching, especially with the absence of a support system. This was the case for a 24-year-old Journalist, Joel Vogt of West Coast Demerara who launched a bereavement support foundation in late 2022 for young adults who have lost a parent, after losing his mother, Angela Vogt, to kidney failure in January of that same year.

24-year-old Journalist, Joel Vogt

The non-governmental organization, ‘With You Foundation’- is an initiative that intends to share hope through counselling, grief guidance and the provision of condolence packages as well as offering a different quality of support and connection that comes from people (founder and volunteers) who have also experienced the loss of a parent.

“After my mom died early in 2022, I didn’t have a full support system that a bereaved child or person deserves or would like to have, although I received some form of comfort from close friends, Godmother and God sisters. That comfort and support only lasted for a period while my grief continues,” the founder expressed during an interview with Kaieteur News.

While Vogt mother’s death is just close to 16 months, he said he still hasn’t gotten over the fact that he and his four siblings are now motherless and prior to the idea of his initiative, it was a challenge for him when it comes to support and making tremendous changes of his life. “Grief has a direct and sometimes adverse effect on a bereaved person’s life. I can testify to that.

Joel at the burial site of his mother

At one time, I couldn’t perform well on my job as a reporter; I even became angry at myself and the people around me,” he shared.

The young man told Kaieteur News that for him, grief is a process that is not completed in a finite period of time, but by utilizing bereavement support services, such as ‘With You Foundation’, ‘Marva’s HUGS’, one can always find the tools they need to heal.

Additionally, Vogt underscored that grief support goes beyond just words, reminding that it is a pain that lasts longer than sympathy.

“People only receive consolation during the early days of bereavement. Family and friends often rally round then, and it is only later when everyone has gone home and you are left with your grief, and then is when the reality of the death hits you,” Vogt shared.

Joel Vogt’s loving mother, Angela who lost her battle to kidney disease about a year ago.

Passionate about supporting the bereaved, the young bereavement support advocate describes his foundation as an effective method, used to promote healing through different tools such as coping strategies and grief guidance through motivational quotes and messages, outdoor support and virtual groups (in the pipelines) where young grieving individuals can be comfortable enough to express their emotions, and mental health talks by mental health professional.

“The overall aim of this initiative is basically to provide a continuous safe space or platform for those persons to know that they are heard, prayed for and supported… with that, it can contribute to persons’ healing process, reminding them that they are never alone,” Vogt noted.

According to him, any person between the ages of 19 to 27 and has lost a parent recently or two years ago, can join the foundation. Persons are advised to reach out to the founder on 677-0233 or Facebook @With You Foundation and Instagram @sharinghopewithyou for additional information.

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‘Marva’s HUGS, ‘With You Foundation’-, founder and volunteers) who have also experienced the loss of a parent., sympathy, young adults

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