Initiation to Accompaniment at the End-of-Life

Initiation to Accompaniment at the End-of-Life comes to the School of Computer Science at the University of Nottingham on Sunday 7 November, a one-day intensive running from 10:00 to 17:00. It's a training programme built by a team with extensive experience in death, dying and end-of-life care, scientific research and mental health. The course sits at the crossroads of contemporary knowledge and ancestral techniques, offering a secular, accessible and respectful way to engage with spirituality.

The day is structured around three pillars — Presence, Compassion and Transcendence — and aims to help participants develop what they call a 'power to accompany'. For them, that's not about having all the answers, but about being more present, more compassionate and more human when someone is facing the end of their life. It's the kind of thing that's often left to chance or instinct, and this is a chance to actually work at it.

Running the session are Marisela Tachinquin, a psychologist and gerontologist, and Elvira Perez, a professor of mental health and digital technology at the University of Nottingham. Both are members of the Spanish cooperative El Arte del Buen Vivir and are Experts in Accompaniment certified by the Metta Hospice Foundation. They bring together a background in clinical practice and academic research, so the day draws on both lived experience and a solid understanding of how people cope with loss and dying.

Tickets start from £120, and that covers the full day's training, learning materials and a seven-hour training certification. Lunch and refreshments are included, and there's free on-site parking at the Jubilee Campus, so you don't have to worry about the logistics once you're there. It runs from 10:00 to 17:00 at the School of Computer Science, Computer Science Building, Jubilee Campus, NG8 1BB.