Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to address the specific needs of funeral and memorial ceremonies as a celebrant. It requires the ability to liaise with funeral industry personnel, and to develop, present and evaluate personalised ceremonies.
This unit applies to celebrants.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan funeral and memorial ceremonies | 1.1 Accept referrals for funerals and memorials according to professional boundaries and protocols 1.2 Identify and confirm practical ceremony arrangements, requirements and limitations through liaison with funeral services and other personnel 1.3 Provide accurate and current information to clients about ceremony options 1.4 Use communication that acknowledges and respects client loss and grief issues |
2. Develop personalised funeral and memorial ceremony content | 2.1 Gather information about the deceased in a sensitive manner as a basis for ceremony content 2.2 Identify key loss and grief related issues required for input of the celebrant at various points in the ceremony. 2.3 Reflect on and use information provided about the deceased to develop ceremonial elements 2.4 Develop eulogy or integrate life story into ceremony based on client wishes and information 2.5 Refine and finalise content in consultation with client 2.6 Identify and organise required resources |
3. Present funeral and memorial ceremonies | 3.1 Liaise with other service providers at the ceremony to support smooth running of ceremony 3.2 Facilitate and lead the orderly progression of the ceremony according to the ceremony design and provide clear directions as required 3.3 Present the ceremony as agreed using presentation techniques suited to the nature of the occasion 3.4 Include ceremony participants according to agreed ceremony arrangements |
4. Evaluate funeral/memorial ceremonies | 4.1 Seek feedback from clients at an appropriate time about services provided 4.2 Reflect on own performance and services and identify areas of strength and potential improvement 4.3 Document evaluation outcomes and use to enhance future practice |
Evidence of Performance
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:
planned, and evaluated at least 4 different ceremonies, including both funerals and memorials
written and evaluated at least 4 eulogies
presented funeral or memorial ceremonies using presentation techniques suited to those ceremonies for at least 2 of the following situations, including the delivery of at least 1 eulogy
death of a young person
an unexpected accidental death
an older person.
Evidence of Knowledge
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 for the conduct of funeral and memorial ceremonies, and how these apply in individual practice
codes of practice, including professional funeral services industry parameters and protocols in dealing with the bereaved and the deceased
duty of care
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
records management
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
funeral celebrant role in the ceremony and civil celebrant role in providing an inclusive ceremony
roles and responsibilities of funeral services personnel and external contractors and agencies and working within these
potential differences between the celebrant’s role in funerals and memorial services
history, current practices and changing attitudes to dying and death care in Australia
physiology of dying and death – basic processes and time frames
the process of how a person is treated from the point of death until burial or care/dispersal of their remains/ashes, if the body is cremated, and relationship with the celebrant’s involvement
social, religious and cultural differences and traditions that impact on funeral and memorial ceremonies, including
burial and interment
disposal of human remains
traditions related to loss and grief
historical, current and emerging options that families have for
preparing for and dealing with death
place and timing of the ceremony
disposal of the body
challenges in working with bereaved families and friends and defence mechanisms of the bereaved, differing perceptions and experiences of the deceased, dealing with unfinished business, offering support and hope whilst honouring the loss and grief of the bereaved, for both close family, friends and others
different structures and features of funeral and memorial ceremonies, including
burial
interment
cremation
entombment
placing or scattering of ashes
committal style
types of practical considerations for funeral ceremonies, including
potential time restrictions and options
venue constraints and options
requirements for communication with funeral services personnel
resources used when conducting funeral/memorial ceremonies to bring consciousness to the sense of loss and thankfulness for the life lived
poetry and prose (secular and religious)
the placing of special personal effects with the deceased
photographs
use of music
audiovisual
choice and placement of flowers
use of lighting
placement of candles
inclusion of other speakers or readers
ceremony programs
ways to use the ceremony to celebrate and honour the life of the deceased
public speaking and presentation techniques, and how these may be used and adapted for funeral and memorial services
role and importance of evaluation, including:
how to incorporate evaluation into practice
techniques for obtaining feedback from clients
techniques and process for self-evaluation
importance of self-care, and self-care strategies.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including information about the deceased
modelling of industry operating conditions, including groups of people to whom the ceremony/memorial is delivered.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.