Celebrant Training Courses ​- FAQ's

Funeral Celebrant Prerequisites

28/2/2018

Whilst we do not stipulate any particular academic qualifications, you will need all the below qualities to become a successful Celebrant.

Good interaction skills with those who are bereaved or distressed.
An ability to take control of a situation, and gain trust in a confident way.
Be sensitive to all – regardless of culture, faith, or religion.
Sensitive interviewing skills.
A professional & smart appearance.
Educated to a high standard would be advantageous for the delivery of good literary i.e. to write using appropriate grammar, concisely and effectively.
A clear and precise public speaking voice is important.
Flexibility for working hours (evenings and weekends are often required).
As the course uses Microsoft Office, you will need to have access and be competent at using this software package.
You must also have access to a smart phone in order to video and record small presentations as part of your course work.

It is important to build a good working relationship with funeral directors, crematorium staff, and others. The ability to develop and maintain a good reputation in the local community and with other organisations within the Funeral profession will enable you to build a reputable business.

Naming & Wedding Celebrant Prerequisites

21/2/2018

Whilst we do not stipulate any particular academic qualifications, you will need all the below qualities to become a successful Celebrant.

Good interaction skills with couples and familes.
An ability to take control of a situation, and gain trust in a confident way.
Be sensitive to all – regardless of culture, faith, or religion.
Sensitive interviewing skills.
A professional & smart appearance.
Educated to a high standard would be advantageous for the delivery of good literary i.e. to write using appropriate grammar, concisely and effectively.
A clear and precise public speaking voice is important.
Flexibility for working hours (evenings and weekends are often required).
As the course uses Microsoft Office, you will need to have access and be competent at using this software package.
You must also have access to a smart phone in order to video and record small presentations as part of your course work.

It is important to build a good working relationship with wedding venues and 3rd party wedding suppliers. The ability to develop and maintain a good reputation in the local community and with other organisations within the Wedding profession will enable you to build a reputable business.

Training Courses Terms & Conditions

21/2/2018

All Terms and Conditions are to UK regulated standards.

All ICPC Training courses are Self-Learning courses.
You will be assigned an Assessor throughout the duration of the course, this Assessor will mark your work and give you feedback, your Assessor will also guide and help you too understand the meanings of questions and tasks.
Our team of assessors consists exclusively of full-time, practicing Celebrants who are dedicated to maintaining a fair and equitable grading process for all learners. To uphold this commitment, we guarantee a thorough review and provision of feedback on three units per learner per month. Although we strive to evaluate your submissions as promptly as possible, any submissions beyond the monthly three-unit limit will be carried forward to the subsequent month for assessment. Please note that this standard applies regardless of how rapidly a course is completed. Hence, for learners who finish their course ahead of schedule, we continue to maintain our policy of reviewing and providing feedback on only three units per month.
Shadowing an ICPC Celebrant – all shadowing is at the discretion of the individual Celebrant – who in turn will report back to your assessor. Shadowing a Celebrant is not guaranteed and will only be offered should the Celebrant agree. All families will be informed of a trainee that is shadowing and all families will be given the right to refuse their presence at either a family meeting or funeral service/wedding/naming meeting and ceremony.
You are solely responsible for sourcing any up to date Government information, regarding legislation and legal regulations.
In order for you to work through this course you will need to have access to and the ability to use Microsoft Office, especially Word, PowerPoint & Excel.
If ICPC online training needs to update the course content, you are responsible for downloading the amended version. (Notifications will be sent when new downloads are available).
You must be able to upload video/audio recordings of you delivering course content, where required, and all video/audio recording must be uploaded through the members area, or on a YouTube link, DO NOT EMAIL DIRECTLY TO The Company, via any other means.
All coursework must be uploaded via the Member's Area of our website with your log in credentials. We cannot accept hard copies. All work must have your name/course title/ slide title/and be page numbered. Work not uploaded through the members area will not be marked. All video/ audio work must be uploaded via the members area only using the we transfer facility. Should work be received without name/course title/ slid number & slide title, this will not be marked.
All candidates have 12 months from the day they receive access to their course to complete their work. You will be working at your own pace, but we will be with you all the way to assist in advice and clarify any questions that you might have, however we are not here to answer the questions for you and you will be require to source latest information. After 12-months, if your work has not been completed, we will assess how much work you have submitted to us, should this be less than 50% we will not extend your training time frame, however should it be more than 50% we will discuss an extension with you, however we do not guarantee an extension.
All Terms & Conditions are to be accepted and acknowledged before payment can be taken.
Once payment has been received and cleared you will have full access to download the digital training course materials, your right to request a 14-day refund will no longer be valid. Even if you chose not to download the course material, once your login credentials have been issued for the members area, there will be NO refund.
Candidates must make themselves aware of their legal rights in cancellation before purchasing an online course. For more details please visit www.gov.uk
ICPC reserves the right to refuse a candidate without explanation.
ICPC is a pass or fail course, should your result be a fail, you will be given the opportunity to resubmit work, there will be an administration charge of £25 per unit, if you are not happy with our decision, you will be given the opportunity to request an investigation into the reasons why we have failed you, you will be required to put a formal complaint in, via your portfolio procedures, all complaints will be dealt with within a 30 day period. We will use an external training company to investigate your complaint. A final decision will be given within a further 90 days.
If you have any queries or questions, please feel free to contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.

Frequently Asked Questions

13/2/2018

What is the minimum and maximum time to complete a course?
There is no minimum as you can work at your own pace in your own time.
The course time frame is 12 months.

Is there an age limit for those who wish to train?
There is no upper age limit for those wishing to train for this work.
On successful completion of your course(s), celebrants either work on a self-employed basis, or are employed by their organisation. Training on self-employment is included.

Do you accept an Advanced Learner Loan from the government?
Or any funding for that matter?
We do not accept Advanced Learners Loans however if you are employed and are about to be made redundant in Wales (UK) we do accept REACT funding for your course.
We also accept payments via a payment plan. Please contact us regarding this.
NB: This funding is only available in Wales at present time.

Is it possible to pay by instalments for an online training course?
Yes, we offer a payment plan as of January 2022 – the payments will be split into three monthly downloads – your course content will mirror this, and also be split into three monthly downloads. Please contact us for more details.

Is it possible to purchase a course if I live outside of the UK?
And would there be any need to visit the UK to complete the training?
Yes, you can purchase a course from outside of the UK. There is no need to visit the UK.

Are the Training Courses relatable to Countries outside the UK?
Yes, each course requires you to research and find out your legal requirements for the country that you reside and work in.

Is the role of a Celebrant for me?
If you have a passion for supporting others, have a creative side to you, enjoy public speaking and can speak publicly. Do you have the confidence to take the lead? Then this role is perfect for you.
This course will cover everything you need to know to give you the knowledge of the industry, the practical work so you can go out and officiate at ceremonies with confidence and professionalism.
Our course will take you through every element, so even if you are new to learning, you will be guided through at your own pace.

How quickly can I start?
As soon as you have chosen your course, made your payment, our technical team will issue you with an invite to join the members area of our website, this is done usually within 24 hours of payment, however if payment is done over a weekend, this may take 48 hours.

I am new to Celebrancy, and I have never run my own business?
This course will teach you everything you need to know about Celebrancy, and we can advise you on running your own business, or you could take the opportunity of joining our franchise team.

Will I be supported?
You will never be alone, we have a wonderful team of qualified Celebrants, all who able to advise and talk you through any situation.

You will then have access to a monthly Q&A session with your fellow students and the mentors.
You'll also immediately gain access to Facebook, where are students come together for support.
On completion you will receive a certificate.

You will receive a digital and hard copy certificate, also six months free membership to our celebrant directory. We also offer to enhance your CPD (Continuous professional development) with more course, should you wish to do so.

Shadowing a Celebrant on the job?
This is possible, all of our celebrants are willing to help and guide new celebrants, please be advised in current circumstances with COVID this might not always be possible.

ICPC Code of Conduct

30/6/2017

When choosing a Celebrant to help you achieve the ceremony of your choice there are a few things to consider.

The role of a celebrant is to serve either the bereaved and their community or to help a couple to create a wonderful wedding blessing or a family welcoming a new member to the family.

Good Celebrants create and lead uplifting, fitting, and personal, ceremonies. A Celebrants work should clearly reflect either the person who has passed away, by respecting their belief system, acknowledgement of their community of family and friends, and create an environment in which the grieving process can be held and supported.

Or help a couple or family share wonderful celebrations by listening to their needs and wishes and helping them make the right decisions to achieve their desired ceremony.

A Successful Celebrant:

Is professional

They are easy to contact, friendly, approachable, and communicate well with fellow professionals. They are efficient, reliable, and organised. They are able to remain open and empathetic, at the same time as recognising the boundaries that need to be in place to lead all ceremonies appropriately.

They have good computer and IT skills, supporting effective communication between their clients and also any third-party professional. They should be able to offer and produce professional looking scripts that can be viewed prior to ceremonies and offered as treasured as keepsakes.

They will be aware of the new GDPR regulations and compliant; They will work confidentially, in their own specialised fields. A good Celebrant will always be able to show you their insurance in public liability and indemnity.

Cares for their client

They offer to visit families at home and give as much time as needed.
(COVID restrictions may apply – so in some cases the meeting with a family may be done via Zoom or another video platform or via telephone and email).

They are inclusive, flexible, and non-judgemental.

They engender trust through openness, sensitivity, and confidentiality.

They are willing to involve family and friends in creating the funeral, they will also send a script for approval before the funeral.

They will welcome all speakers, performers, and any alternative parts to the service.

They meet and greet the family at the crematorium and are available immediately after the funeral ceremony.

Understanding that a successful funeral is one that serves and supports the bereaved.

Is calm and shows natural leadership

They have a calm and reassuring presence, providing gentle leadership without seeking to be the centre of attention.

They are a clear, confident and engaging speaker with a range of pace and intonation.

They are responsive to what is happening in the room and environment, and are able to think on their feet and adapt where necessary.

They are well groomed and appropriately dressed.

Writes unique ceremonies

Every ceremony is personal, and created following a detailed and extensive interview with the relevant family and community of the person who has died.

Every ceremony draws out and encourages the families own tastes in culture and literature, using the celebrants own knowledge and resources as appropriate.

Every ceremony is inspiring and ell structured, with a script that accurately reflects the life, values and beliefs of the person who has died.

Every ceremony includes language and ritual that is appropriate to the family they serve.

Cares about their self-development

They are on a continuing path of personal and professional development to keep informing and improving the profound and varied demands of celebrancy work.

Funeral Celebrant Prerequisites

Naming & Wedding Celebrant Prerequisites

Training Courses Terms & Conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

ICPC Code of Conduct

FAQ's by Category