New qualification for celebrants

March 2007

New qualification for celebrants

WelTec has opened enrolments for its new Diploma in Ceremony and Celebration, which starts in April.

Programme Leader Michael Wolffram, who describes himself as a celebrant and ritual maker, says that rituals have a vital part in the health of our communities.

“Marking major transitions helps us all recognise, celebrate and cope with change,” says Michael. “As well as weddings and funerals it could be a baby naming, opening a building, launching a boat or acknowledging divorce.”

“These days people are wanting very personalised ceremonies. JPs, ministers and celebrants who perform funerals and commitment ceremonies – like weddings and civil unions – find they are being expected to help create more unique celebrations than in the past. Many of them have told us that they need some extra skills to be able to help design and build these ceremonies. The programme will be of interest to those already working in the field, as well as people who wish to explore the importance of ritual to our communities”.

“WelTec’s new programme will help people gain the skills to create appropriate ceremonies as well as handle some of the many challenging situations that can arise when dealing with people going through a transition in their life,” says Michael.

Lynne Ewart is a celebrant who came to the field with a background in counselling and funeral directing. “I came to recognise the importance of ceremony and ritual, the things that gather people together at important times,” says Lynne.

“The role of a celebrant should be as a facilitator to help people mark special occasions in a meaningful way for them.”

Lynne is now also registered to perform weddings and civil unions. “I’m passionate about the importance of these ceremonies and matching them to the people that they are for. I love the creativity and working with people who wish to try new things. The ceremony should be exactly what people want for their day. But I have to say that after a recent experience involving a lake I’ve become wary of using a dog to carry the rings!

“My career has taken me in this direction and my counselling work has helped me to assist people to articulate their wishes. WelTec’s new diploma will be an opportunity for people to learn the skills to become a successful professional in the field”.

“People are lucky to be able to learn these things from Mike. He has a long career as a funeral director and celebrant and is genuinely passionate about sharing these skills with others,” says Lynne.

The Diploma in Ceremony and Celebration starts in April. It is a one-year programme taught as four one-week block courses. It is the first qualification of its kind in New Zealand at diploma level.

ENDS