CELEBRANT TRAINING

A requirement of the Attorney-General's Department is that Marriage Celebrants complete 5 hours of ongoing professional development each year.
Topics to choose from include; 2011 Compulsory Text (1 hour), Celebrant Skills/Resources/Equipment Checklist (2 hours), Communication and Developing Rapport (2 hours), Getting it Right on the Day (2 hours), Developing and Reviewing Your Resource Folder (2 hours), Essential Celebrant Record Keeping and Administration (2 hours), Organising Your Celebrant Office (2 hours), Music in the Marriage Ceremony (2 hours), Creative Ways to Involve Loved Ones and Symbols in Ceremony (4 hours), Relationship Support Services and the Celebrant (2 hours).

Content

2011 COMPULSORY ACTIVITY This course is the 2011 Compulsory Activity provided by the Attorney Generals’ Department, Marriage Celebrants’ Section. Celebrants must complete this topic to successfully complete 2011 OPD requirements. The topics covered are :
• Keeping up with your ongoing obligation to update the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants on your contact details
• Section 45 of Marriage Act 1961 (Exchange of vows)
• Section 46 of Marriage Act 1961 (Celebrant Authority/Monitum).

CELEBRANT SKILLS/RESOURCES/EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST This course will provide:
• a clearer understanding of what skills, resources and equipment a new celebrant will need to set up a celebrant office
• experienced Celebrants the opportunity to review their processes and share ideas with peers to improve personal systems and skills by developing a checklist.

COMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPING RAPPORT By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• increase their awareness of the critical nature of high level communication skills for the Celebrant
• identify a range of methods of communication relevant to Celebrants’ work and the specific skills required for each
• share successful strategies for developing rapport with clients and with the audience/guests when presenting the wedding ceremony.

GETTING IT RIGHT ON THE DAY This course will be useful for celebrants who wish to ensure that issues which may arise on the day are anticipated and can be dealt with appropriately. A range of potential situations and examples will be discussed during this workshop.
By the end of this workshop, participants will:
• increase awareness of the value of a well conducted wedding rehearsal by developing a ‘Rehearsal Checklist’
• explore strategies for performing effectively on the day
• ensure that participants in the ceremony are aware of the movements required
• consider useful tools and equipment which may assist with the smooth running of the occasion.

DEVELOPING AND REVIEWING YOUR RESOURCE FOLDER This course will enable participants:
• to develop/create/review their ceremony information resource booklet in order to create personalised ceremonies
• to have a framework for creating a resource kit for use with clients.

ESSENTIAL CELEBRANT RECORD KEEPING AND ADMINISTRATION This course will explore the minimum requirements a celebrant needs to maintain a Celebrant’s office including:
• securely maintaining and managing client documentation relating to the ceremony and communications with the client
• utilising effective administrative skills to collect and store documentation
• applying open, honest and effective invoicing procedures.

ORGANISING YOU CELEBRANT OFFICE This course will:
• explore a range of ways to create a fully integrated, organised celebrant office
• identify what a celebrant needs to perform in their role away from the office
• begin to explore different marketing opportunities for Celebrants
The content of this course is relevant to civil and religious Celebrants.

MUSIC IN THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY This course will be useful for Celebrants who wish to enhance ceremonies by the inclusion of music. A wide range of music will be discussed and issues of copyright will be raised.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
• increase awareness of the role/value of music in the marriage ceremony
• increase/ broaden the resource base of celebrants with regard to sourcing music and readings for ceremonies
• consider ways of presenting resources to clients and where necessary helping them to increase their a2wareness of the resources available; to therefore assist clients to make choices of music and readings for their ceremony
• revise/ review the copyright requirements when including music in a marriage ceremony
This course has relevance to both civil and religious Celebrants.

CREATIVE WAYS TO INVOLVE LOVED ONES AND SYMBOLS IN CEREMONY This course will be of interest to celebrants wishing to introduce the use of symbols and rituals, both traditional and creative to personalise and enrich marriage ceremonies. Participants will be encouraged to:
• involve their family members and others in the ceremony
• increase the range of symbols and rituals used in ceremonies by providing resources such as symbols, rituals, etc
• increase the confidence of Celebrants by enhancing their skills base
• improve customer service to clients by providing them with innovative ideas for their ceremonies
• encourage Celebrants to develop new and original rituals and symbols to enhance ceremonies
• recommend ways in which family members and others can be involved in ceremonies
The content of this course is relevant to both civil and religious Celebrants.

RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT SERVICES AND THE CELEBRANT This course has been designed to educate Marriage Celebrants about relationship support services available to their clients. Students will develop:
• a detailed understanding of the nature of services offered on a national level
• an understanding of how to research the services provided by the providers in their area and nationally
• an appreciation for how best to approach this important topic with their clients
This course is relevant for both civil and religious Celebrants.

2010 COMPULSORY ACTIVITY (ELECTIVE) This course is the 2010 Compulsory Activity designed by the Attorney Generals Department, Marriage Celebrants Section. Celebrants who did not complete OPD in 2010 may undertake this course.
Topics covered are:
• The role of the Marriage Celebrants’ Section (MCS) in providing guidance to marriage Celebrants on their legal responsibilities in conducting marriages
• Completing Statutory declarations
• Documents to be completed by Interpreters
• Record Keeping
• New Certificate of Divorce.

For Details contact Gordon Institute of TAFE

Contact Vlady at vlady_celebrant@yahoo.com.au, ring her on (07) 3283 8567 - Mobile: 0415 324 982 or write to her Vlady M Peters, Civil Marriage Celebrant, PO Box 394, Redcliffe. Qld. 4020. Australia.