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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes
2. Research ceremonial components
   • Identify credible sources of traditional and contemporary information about ceremony and ceremonial components relevant to client preferences
   • Assess information and select ceremonial components, elements or symbols best suited to client preferences, ceremony purpose and target audience
   • Generate ceremony ideas based on research undertaken and own existing resources and ideas database
   • Collate and organise ceremonial information in a manner that supports current and future ceremonial planning
3. Design ceremonies
   • Integrate client values, culture and ideas by involving the client in ceremony design
   • Match the ceremonial components, elements or symbols to the ceremony purpose and target group
   • Identify and integrate practical planning and operational implications into ceremony design
   • Confirm roles of ceremony participants or of other service providers as part of the design process
   • Identify and address legal requirements in ceremony design
   • Document the ceremony design and seek client confirmation
4. Write ceremony content
   • Elicit key information and ideas from content researched and agreed with the client
   • Apply ceremony design principles to create format, structure and sequence for the ceremony content based on client preferences
   • Use language suited to client preferences and profile, and the nature of the ceremony audience
   • Use creative and other writing techniques to enhance ceremony content
   • Integrate storytelling and biography into ceremony content according to client preferences
   • Refine and finalise content in consultation with client
5. Address operational arrangements
   • Create an operational plan for the ceremony that includes clear actions, timelines and responsibilities for the celebrant
   • Identify and organise resources and other ceremony requirements for the agreed ceremony
   • Organise and confirm rehearsal details with clients and others according to ceremony needs
   • Develop and confirm with client ceremony contingency plans suited to the agreed ceremony
   • Document operational requirements and provide information to clients and others as required
6. Extend and expand own knowledge base
   • Maintain and enhance own knowledge of ceremony through ongoing research
   • Identify and respond to professional development opportunities
   • Develop and adjust work practices as part of ongoing practice development

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

researched anddocumented the structure, purpose, ceremonial components andelements for a minimum of 5 different types of ceremonies for major life events (from birth to death)

researched and identified at least 30 different ceremonial elements or examples of music, poetry and prose to meet identified client needs and preferences

created and written in full 3 ceremonies (1 each of love, life and loss) in response to identified client needs and preferences, taking into consideration various aspects of ceremony structure.

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

legal and ethical considerations (national, state/territory, local) for ceremony creation, and how these apply in individual practice:

copyright and intellectual property (differences between Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) andCopyright Insurance)

discrimination, including sexism, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, ageism,racism,disability, cultural, economicfactors

insurance requirements and impact on ceremony design

privacy, confidentiality and disclosure

work role boundaries – responsibilities, scope and limitations of the celebrant in the ceremony

work health and safety

different types of ceremonies for main types of transitions and celebrations for individuals, couples, groups and communities

aspects of ritual and ceremony including:

structure of ceremony

purpose of ceremony for clients and others

public role, legal importance and benefits of different kinds of ceremony to society

ceremonies as rites of passage

how ceremonies signpost a culture and the expression of ceremony and ritual across different cultures

different ceremonial elements and their impact for different individuals and groups

history of religious and secular ceremonies, including knowledge of the evolving role of the celebrant in Australian culture in 21st Century

function and importance of storytelling in times of change, and in particular human life stages from birth to death

client-centred practice as the focus for ceremony design, what this means in practice and the needs of different target groups in celebrancy practice

basic knowledge of family structures and dynamics as applicable to celebrancy work

broad knowledge of stages of human development and psychology of change and its application to ceremony design

sources of information for ceremony design, including those for the following ceremonies of love, life and loss:

poetry

prose

music

ceremonial symbols

creative considerations for enhancing ceremony, including:

use of symbols and metaphors, their importance for integration of complex ideas and meanings and relationship with ceremonial elements

how to analyse thequalities needed for a particular aspect of the ceremony, research and createmeaningful symbols to match the ceremonial need

storytelling

developing a life story from ‘whole’ person perspective

relationships between ceremonial elements and the human senses

ceremony as art

use of props

the difference betweensigns and symbols, and the factors in creating and assessingceremonial elements and symbols

historical use of symbols, including examples of the use and meaning of symbols related to elements (earth, fire, air, water), colour, flowers,and the traditional and modern significance of colours, flowers, precious stones and other specialmaterials

the ethics and practicalities of using plants, animals, children and adults as symbols in ceremonies

first principles fordesigning any ceremony

key components of ceremony, and how these canbe integrated into ceremony design and those particularly important forceremonies related to loss and grief, including:

acknowledging and honouring theloss

appreciating and honouring thecontributions of the person, relationship or function to one’s life, family or community

acknowledging the need forinspiration and support

encouraging family and communitysupport for those who are grieving

how to structure a ceremony and key components of ceremony and its theatrical elements, and how these can be integrated into ceremony design, including:

the warm-up (and group bonding), entrance, welcome, introduction (including statement of purpose) legalities if relevant

story telling, reflection, heightening the ‘gap/transition’; acknowledging and honouring both loss and gain, especially appreciating and honouring the contributions of the person, relationship or function to one’s life family, or community

preparation for the next stage – life coaching, inspiration, and support

the speaking one’s truth, the promises, commitments (vows) explicit or implicit

group affirmation and support encouraging family and community support, especially for those who are grieving.

the capturing of memories, preparation for the next stage

announcements (i.e. after-ceremony requirements, refreshments), conclusion

the exit

communication, interviewing and negotiation strategies

communication and personality styles – differences in ways people receive and giveout communication, factors that affectcommunication, learning andexperiencing the world

principles and techniques of writing as one form of communication, including:

clear and meaningful

concise

consistent style

correct grammar

clear and logical order

differences and strategies required when writing ceremonies and other material for presentation and performance by vocal means, including words per page estimates, time for material reading

writing for the needs of specific audiences, and how this varies depending on communication media in a celebrancy context

spelling and grammar checking processes for ceremony drafts

writing styles and their application to different ceremonies:

conversational

formal

dramatic

humourous

plain English

trends to include ‘stories’that allow the personalisation of ceremony content to meet expectations

strategies for improving writing skills

operational considerations and constraints for ceremony design:

scope of role of celebrant in overall ceremony

role of participants

location

duration

season and climate

other event components

other services providers

rehearsal requirements

resources and equipment

planning techniques and formats

techniques and opportunities for extending own knowledge of ceremony

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