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This award winning course is the ONLY professional Civil Funeral Celebrant Training Course that is externally accredited by the Open College Network (www.nocn.org.uk) at Level 3.
Civil Funeral Celebrant Training course is a 3½ day residential course.
www.iocf.org.uk
The National Open College Network (NOCN)
NOCN is the UK's foremost provider of accreditation services for adult learning.
The standard of our training course is maintained by robust assessment, through rigorous internal verification and external moderation by the Open College Network moderation system.
The National Open College Network (NOCN) is the leading credit-based awarding body in the UK. It is recognised by the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment) and ACCAC (Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales).
About Civil Funerals
Civil Funerals were launched in 2002 and have grown dramatically in popularity since then. A Civil Funeral is a highly professional funeral ceremony, delivered by a trained Civil Funeral Celebrant, which reflects the needs and wishes of the bereaved family and the deceased and takes no account of the beliefs, religion or philosophy of the Celebrant – it simply tries to provide whatever is wanted by the bereaved family.
Civil Funerals can include religion. A fully written text is created and checked by the client before the ceremony, to ensure the ceremony is accurate and as the client wishes it to be.
About The Institute of Civil Funerals
In order to support the work of Civil Funeral Celebrants, an Institute was formed in October 2004 and is led by a Council of Management comprising notable representatives from all areas of the funeral industry.
£155 has been set as a guideline fee for a funeral by the Institute of Civil Funerals and this is generally recognized by the industry.
The course fee includes twelve months Associate Membership of the Institute and half of the first year’s membership fees. Full Institute membership is open to those who pass the Civil Funeral course after conducting their first funeral. The Institute is the Professional Association for Civil Funeral Celebrants providing an annual conference and funeral-wide promotion of Celebrant’s contact details through the funeral industry trade press.
Further additional training is facilitated through the Institute for members including:
Baby and Child Funerals – a course facilitated by the Child Bereavement Trust (insert cbt logo here)
Advanced Tribute Writing Skills – a one day course in the further development of writing skills
Who is the course for:
This course if for all those who wish to train to conduct Civil Funerals and course delegates often include: Funeral industry staff, crematoria staff, registration staff and those who simply seek to improve funerals and enter a new profession as a Civil Funeral Celebrant.
There is no upper age limit for those wishing to train for this work. On successful completion of the course, Civil Funeral Celebrants conduct Civil Funerals either on a self-employed basis or employed by their organisation.
Our 3½ day residential training course has a reputation
for being challenging, hard work and intensive but thoroughly
enjoyable and immensely rewarding!
Person specification
Here we have listed the personal qualities, attributes and skills required to
become a successful Civil Funeral Celebrant:
- Good literary and writing skills including the ability to write concisely, grammatically and effectively
- A good public speaking voice and confidence to speak in front of anything from 10 to 300 people
- Smart appearance
- Sensitive interviewing skills
- A mature, calm, reassuring manner and sensitive interviewing skills
- Use of a computer and fundamental computer skills, with experience of using Microsoft Word.
- Access to and ability to use e-mail is essential.
- Availability on weekdays
- A genuine interest in providing a quality service and improving the choice and quality of funerals available to the bereaved
A pre-course writing test is required, as is a visit to a local crematorium.
We do not stipulate any particular academic qualifications but there are
exacting demands on writing and questioning abilities and on the applicant's
self-confidence. In addition, some public speaking experience is essential.
Funerals present varied, unpredictable problems and this is where a
personal experience of bereavement is valuable. These unpredictable situations
call for good working relationships with funeral directors,
crematorium managers, and others: celebrants will need to develop
and maintain their own local networks with such organisations.
Course Content
- Overview of the funeral industry
- Interviewing bereaved families
- Tribute writing
- Delivering readings and poetry
- Music at Funerals
- Working with Funeral Directors
- What makes a ‘good’ funeral
- Practice and feedback on delivery skills
- Videoed playback of first tribute
- Space and movement at burials and cremations
- Individual course assessment feedback sessions
- Administration and Software training
Please Note: This course has a great deal of content and evening work is required.
Course materials provided:
- Comprehensive Training manual
- CD Rom software
- Administration and software training manual
- Selection of poems and readings
This course makes exacting demands upon delegates, and their ability to deal with their own and others’ responses to bereavement.
This course is pass/fail. The current pass rate is 93%. Candidates will be notified of their results within one week of the course.
Institute of Civil Funeral (IoCF) Membership:
After initial training, individuals are offered temporary Associate Membership of the IoCF. This is very beneficial to the newly trained Civil Funeral Celebrant as they can take advantage of training and networking whilst establishing themselves prior to taking Full membership which they are elible for once they have delivered their first funeral.
What skills will delegates learn?
- Describe funeral content, the funeral ‘industry’ and what constitutes a good funeral
- Be able to sensitively interview bereaved relatives to obtain relevant information for the tribute
- Effectively translate the information gained to a well written, accurate funeral ceremony script
- Deliver the funeral ceremony with confidence and sensitivity
What delegates say:
"I think the course was brilliant, and it exceeded my expectations…
well done for keeping interest levels high throughout."
"It was good to be pushed and challenged"
"Thanks for a stimulating 3 days"
"I enjoyed this course so much. I was apprehensive about attending,
but the content and the tutors were brilliant. I felt totally supported
at all times."
"The most challenging but worthwhile 3½ days I have ever spent
on a course."
"I enjoyed every minute. Everything was explained very well and very
clearly."
"Lovely venue, quiet and peaceful, just right!"
Course Tutors
Anne Barber
Anne is Managing Director of Civil Ceremonies Ltd and founder and Chairman of the Institute of Civil Funerals.
Prior to establishing Civil Ceremonies Ltd, Anne was New Project Director at Lifecycle Marketing Ltd and Distribution Director with Bounty Services (UK) Ltd. She has been involved in establishing many services with Local Authorities and Registration Districts across the UK, in particular Naming Ceremonies, Renewal of Marriage Vows Ceremonies and Commitment Ceremonies as well as Civil Funerals. Her qualifications include a BA (Hons) Degree in Business Studies and an MBA.
Profesor Tony Walter
Professor Tony Walter (BA Durham, PhD Aberdeen) is Reader in Sociology, and director of the MA in Death & Society, at the University of Bath. Tony is a leading sociologist in all matters relating to death in the UK and is inspirational in his tutoring on Civil Funeral courses.
He helped found the National Funerals College, and has lectured in the UK, Ireland, USA, Japan and Italy on funerals and funeral reform. Among his 14 books are 'Funerals - and how to reform them' (Hodder 1990), 'The Revival of Death' (Routledge 1994), 'On Bereavement - the culture of grief' (Open University Press 1999), and 'The Mourning for Diana' (Berg 1999).
John Valentine
John is a highly experienced in conducting funerals, having conducted hundreds.
John has written 2 books ‘Power Corrupts’ (Pluto 1981) and ‘Atomic Crossroads’ (Merlin 1986). He is a shareholder and Company Secretary of a small masonry contracting company and has been a Justice of the Peace since 1994, working mostly in the youth court.
He tutors all the residential funeral courses and is passionate about the quality of funerals and has a special interest in the music content of funerals.
Marilyn Watts
Marilyn is Systems & Quality Manager for Civil Ceremonies Ltd and her responsibilities include the development, quality and administration of Civil Funerals. She is passionate about raising awareness of Civil Funerals and maintaining quality.
Marilyn has a background in Information Technology working as a programmer, Systems Developer and IT Manager. She has also run her own Training and Consultancy Company. She joined Civil Ceremonies Ltd in 2002 and has been responsible for developing and implementing IT and Training systems, training on Naming, Renewal of Marriage Vows and Commitment Ceremonies and training Funeral Celebrants throughout the course and has developed the Civil Funeral software that is provided on the course. Marilyn is also Secretary to the Institute of Civil Funerals
Course details
Duration : 3½ day Residential
Venue :
The Claret Conf Centre, Huntingdon, Cambs
Cost :
£1995 inclusive of vat. (£1697.87+vat)
(6 month payment scheme available)
The cost is fully inclusive of
— 3 nights + 3 days full board at the St Claret Conference Centre
— Fully comprehensive training manual
— Fully comprehensive software training manual
— CD Rom software and training
Dates 2008 / 2009:
24–27 Nov 2008
23–26 Feb 2009
11–14 May 2009
07–10 Sept 2009
23–26 Nov 2009
Delegates: Maximum 12 delegates per course
Venue
The course venue is The Claret Conference Centre, Buckden Towers, Buckden, Cambs. This is a truly spectacular setting for this course. The Victorian built house, set in 15 acres of historic gardens and grounds, is completely secluded and private.
The light airy rooms have been tastefully refurbished offering a peaceful and professional atmosphere in which to work.
More information and a brief history of The Claret Conference Centre can be found by visiting the link.
Location and directions to the Claret Centre can be found here: Location and Directions
Please note:
— Bedrooms are on the first floor and there are no lifts!
— There is a no smoking policy at the centre
— All rooms have tea and coffee making facilities
— Although very comfortable, this venue is classed as a retreat
and is not a hotel
— Not all rooms have en suite facilities but are situated very close
to bathrooms
— Please advise in advance of special dietary requirements
If you think you are the right sort of person to train as a Civil Funeral Celebrant
but would like to discuss your interest with us a little more before booking,
please call us on Tel: 0845 0048608 (local rate) to learn more about the training course and discuss your interest.
Booking
Call us on 0845 0048608 (local rate) to reserve a place.
Email: info@civilceremonies.co.uk
Courses have a maximum of 12 trainees
The course is very popular and early booking is recommended
PLEASE NOTE:
The course is operated on a pass/fail basis.
The current pass rate is 93%.
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