Photo credit: Jon @ www.s6photography.co.uk

The BC Humanist Association Officiant Program exists to provide Humanist officiants and celebrants who are trained to help the non-religious and secular mark significant milestones in their lives in a meaningful way.

Our training program is for those who wish to become BCHA-certified officiants to perform:

• baby welcomings/namings
• coming-of-age ceremonies
• reconcilliation ceremonies
• parting ceremonies
• memorials and funerals

While we are not able to perform marriages, we will be discussing alternative options and our campaign for Humanist Marriages.

This seminar will cover:

• Becoming a celebrant (laws, etc)
• Promoting yourself (website, business cards, etc)
• Meeting with/working with clients (Questions to ask, contracts, etc)
• Lunch/social
• Writing a ceremony (Humanist values in ceremonies, sources, examples, etc)
• Performing a ceremony (best practices, professional conduct, role play)
• Following up with the client after a ceremony (feedback, reviews, etc)

All prospective officiants should be familiar with our Officiants Committee's governing Charter and Code of Ethics.

Our training will be led by Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson. Autumn has been a humanist chaplain, humanist celebrant, as well as the treasurer of the board of The Humanist Society. Read more about Autumn.

Application

This is our first official training seminar for potential BCHA Officiants. The seminar is open to anyone interested in becoming a Humanist Officiant.

Following the training, to become a BCHA officiant, our Officiants Committee Charter requires that potential BCHA Officiants should:

1. support the principles of the BCHA and is familiar with the history of Humanism;
2. have been a member of the BCHA for at least one year before becoming an Officiant and continue to maintain his or her membership as long as he or she remains an Officiant;
3. display a record of active involvement in the Humanist movement in BC and continues to be actively involved;
4. be a compassionate and fair-minded individual who respects and values human diversity. He or she presents his or herself in a professional manner, has well-developed interviewing skills and can engage in empathetic, non-judgemental working relationships;
5. have well-developed verbal and written communication skills and is comfortable speaking before small and large groups;
6. have well-developed organizational skills, which include keeping up-to-date and accurate records of his or her services;
7. have experience or skills related to running a small business;
8. demonstrate a commitment to continuing education;
9. understand that, regardless of past experience, his or her application to become an Officiant must be evaluated on the same basis as any other, and he or she may be required to take training before approval;
10. commit to establish a humanist group, if there is none near his or her home; and
11. agree to engage in professional development activities, including, but not limited to, attendance at an annual Officiant Conference.

The fee for the training seminar is $100 to cover our costs.

To apply to attend the seminar, please email [email protected] or call (604) 265-9298 setting out why you want to become a Humanist Officiant. If your application is accepted, we will get in touch with you with the venue details and how to pay the registration fee.