Young adults in Belfast find peer support through grief group
A community founded after a personal loss now reaches young people in more than 20 locations, including Belfast. Its members say it has helped them feel less alone.
Key points
- Too Young to Grieve was founded by Luke Alfano after he lost his father at 21.
- The group now operates in more than 20 locations, including Belfast.
- Members meet in person for outings such as rambles, pottery painting and football competitions.
- Campaigners want grief to be covered more clearly in schools and universities.
- Northern Ireland has no equivalent statutory guidance on teaching about grief, according to the BBC.
A peer support group for young people who have been bereaved has opened a branch in Belfast. According to BBC News NI, Too Young to Grieve now runs in more than 20 locations, including London, Manchester, the United States and Australia. The group was set up by Luke Alfano, who was 21 when his father died.
Alfano said he had little guidance at the time. His father had been diagnosed with cancer only two weeks before his death. He told BBC News NI that for the first year or two he did not understand what grief was, and simply tried to ignore it.
It was not until he lost his grandmother, when he was 25, that he began to see he had not dealt with his father’s death. That experience led him to look more closely at what had happened and to seek understanding.
What the group offers
Too Young to Grieve brings together people who have lost someone and want to meet others in a similar position. The group describes itself as a relaxed space where members can talk openly, share stories and laugh together.
Events include outdoor excursions like rambles, pottery painting sessions and football competitions. Alfano said that people aged roughly 18 to 35 often lose someone they would normally turn to for major decisions in life.
- Members meet in person rather than only online.
- Events are informal and cover a wide range of activities.
- The group gives members a place to talk about the person they lost and how they feel.
Personal stories from Belfast
Chris Guiller now leads the Belfast branch. His father died at 57, five months after a cancer diagnosis. Guiller was 26 at the time and said he felt isolated because no one around him understood what he was going through.
Almost two years later, Guiller describes his role with the group as fantastic. He said knowing that you are not going through it alone helps people accept that their reactions are normal.
Katherine Macauley, 32, lost her fiancee, Peter, in 2025, two days before Christmas, after he died following an accident at work. She said she still struggles to believe it has happened. She hopes to find ways to cope, and says Too Young to Grieve has given her a sense of shared experience.
William Gregg lost his mother in 2017, when he was 14. He said he did not know how to handle the loss and lost his way for a time. He told the BBC that the group has been very helpful for his mental health, giving him room to speak freely.
Calls for change in schools
Alfano has said he would like to see better information about grief and bereavement in schools and universities. The BBC reports that the Department for Education has issued statutory guidance stating that teaching on bereavement, loss and grief is expected in primary and secondary classrooms starting September 2026.
No equivalent guidance applies in Northern Ireland. A Department of Education representative stated that pupils are supported through pastoral care systems and policies, so they know whom to approach for help with bereavement. The representative also pointed to resources from the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment that cover grief at primary and post-primary level.
Guiller said the group was really needed in Northern Ireland. He pointed to earlier comments from academics that the region allocates a smaller amount of money per person to mental health care compared with other UK regions, despite having more complex cases. The BBC report does not give specific figures for these comparisons.
The article did not give a full account of how the Belfast branch is funded or how many people attend its events.
Frequently asked questions
What is Too Young to Grieve?
Too Young to Grieve is a community for young people who have experienced bereavement. It was founded by Luke Alfano and now operates in more than 20 locations, including Belfast, according to BBC News NI.
Who runs the Belfast branch?
Chris Guiller runs the Belfast branch. He lost his father at 57 when he was 26, and says the group helps people feel they are not alone.
Are schools in Northern Ireland required to teach about grief?
The BBC reports that Department for Education statutory guidance expects lessons on loss and grief from September 2026. No equivalent guidance exists in Northern Ireland, where the Department of Education points to pastoral care policies and curriculum resources.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
