Coalition of Celebrant Associations

Australia’s Peak Celebrant Body

VET Second Consultation

The second public consultation starts for the Celebrancy (and other VET) qualifications and units will run until 15 May 2015. Now closed. The qualification level will not affect existing marriage celebrants, only new marriage celebrants. However the qualification will be available for those who would like to do further study in the future.LINK TO COMMENT:http://www.cshisc.com.au/develop/industry-qualifications-training-packages/public-consultation/
The Coalition of Celebrant Associations (CoCA) fully supports the introduction of a Diploma level for Celebrancy to enhance the entry qualifications required to be an independent celebrant, including registration as a Marriage Celebrant, and enable further educational opportunities for existing celebrants to meet the needs of a rapidly changing profession our professions’ needs and rights to have the same opportunities as other professions, that have a range of qualifications for entry level and higher training to ensure their workforce can operate viable independent professional practices. improving the depth and breadth of initial and continued training to equip independent celebrants for…
Celebrancy Qualifications VET Qualifications Criteria The qualification and course units should: Lead to a job/vocation of a professional standard to meet current and future community needs. Celebrancy as a hobby or personal interest should be discouraged. A celebrant gets one shot only at getting a ceremony right!  Meet the extensive requirements of the celebrant job description.  Address the needs and expectations of a diverse and changing Australian community e.g. the needs of individuals, couples, families and groups from different socio-economic, educational, religious and cultural backgrounds across all life stage cycles in delivering inclusive civil ceremonies with appropriate rituals, respect, individuality…
SUMMARYThe First Consultation for the Review of Celebrancy Training was held in January 2013. A Diploma In Professional Celebrancy was circulated for public comment. Approximately 2/3 rds of the Feedback was positive to the upgrading of the Cert IV to a Diploma. 4/10 Registered Training Organisations were supportive of a Diploma even though the longer and more costly training would be likely to reduce the number of people training to be new marriage celebrants. Likewise the Attorney-General's Department was cautious to support the full Diploma for authorisation of new marriage celebrants as this would require a change to the Marriage…
CoCA association representatives specific recommendations are that: The Qualification be determined as a Diploma level qualification The AGD change the Regulations to "Competency Units as required by the Attorney-General" The AGD choose a portion of the qualification approximately equivalent in time and cost to a Certificate IV in Celebrancy The Qualification have the following Diploma level rather that Cert IV units on these topics:         CHCLEG003 Manage legal and ethical compliance         CHCCS426B Provide support and care relating to loss and griefNote: Our CoCA associations predicted that future celebrants will expand their services related to loss and grief to move…
Diploma of Celebrancy Qualification Description Note: The Skills Council does not have the resources to develop new units, despite enormous practical input from CoCA experienced celebrant practitioners. Uncertainty about continued funding due to the consultation on Industry Engagement in Training Package Development – Towards a Contestable Model Discussion Paper means the Skills Council must prioritise its resources over a wide range of community services and health packages. As such the existing units can be strengthened in breadth and depth, but the development of new units must be rationed. So whilst there are fewer units proposed by the Community Services &…
Background:Before 2002, the International College of Celebrancy, Monash University and a number of single trainers had offered training in celebrancy.  First Nationally Accredited Course 2002 When the Marriage Act was changed in 2002 to bring in a new system of appointment for Commonwealth Marriage Celebrants based upon a training qualification and other criteria, the celebrant associations at that time worked with Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council  (CSHISC) to develop a training package for new marriage celebrants. The result was a Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy - eleven (11) units, one of which was "Plan, conduct and review a…
Celebrancy Today is changing rapidlyToday’s public is more savvy and more demanding of meaningful ceremonies for audiences that are more complex e.g. families where there may be tension due to divorce, interfaith beliefs,  mixed race marriages, international clients, the influence of media on attitudes to marriage, emerging technology (streaming, drones etc.).For these reasons, an independent celebrant today and in the future requires more skills and professional support than ever before to meet and exceed society’s expectations. Training qualificationsOur industry aspires to a Diploma of Professional Celebrancy training to meet these current and emerging needs. Currently only a para-professional Certificate IV in…
CoCA representatives are concerned that: the Attornery-General's Department appears reluctant to increase the traning standards despite having raised $2.4 million from our Commonwealth celebrants through Cost Recovery from 1st July 2014. The rationale given by the Department  is that considerable time, effort and cost would be needed to justify a change the Regulations to support better training.This appears contradictory given the justification for the imposition of annual fees on this Subdivision of celebrants was the Department's concerns about poor standards.The Department of Finances' Cost Recovery Guidelines require the monies raised to be used only for essential regulatory services, rather than maintaining…
Civil Celebrancy – A changing profession Civil Celebrancy continues to outgrow religious Celebrancy in weddings and is increasing in popularity for funerals The ‘Baby Boomers’ generation turning 60 until mid 2020s and 70 until mid 2030s Australia has an aging population making the funeral industry a growth industry Only  Commonwealth celebrants are required to pay the mandatory annual cost recovery registration fees introduced by Attorney-General’s Department in 2014 There are concerns that state-based BDM departments will compete for civil celebrancy work outside their registry offices. This has happened in NSW, with the BDM staff now conducting weddings in non-government buildings,…
Back to top