The Society is always keen to recruit new celebrants and training will be given to suitable applicants. Prospective celebrants should share the secular humanist outlook on life and must have good inter personal skills – tact, sensitivity and empathy are very important. Public speaking experience is not essential, but is an advantage.

All humanist ceremonies –especially funerals - are the celebration of a life, and although they are non-religious, they are dignified and personal. Celebrants have to be available at short notice to conduct a funeral - sometimes working under the pressure of limited time. The role especially suits people who are self-employed or retired.

Celebrants receive an honorarium for conducting a ceremony, with certain exceptions (eg the funeral of a baby, or a child under sixteen). The fee is small in relation to the work involved, so it should not be regarded as a substantial source of income. However, although not financially rewarding, celebrants take great satisfaction from helping clients to have the sort of funeral or other ceremony which is really meaningful to them.

 

Although weddings and child-naming ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular, funerals continue to make up most of our work and provide the focus of initial training. Training courses take place from time to time, usually in Perth, with a practical session in Perth Crematorium. After graduating from the programme, new celebrants will usually gain experience by shadowing more experienced colleagues, before going on to conduct ceremonies on their own.

The Area Co-ordinators provide ongoing support, and most celebrants are happy to help each other with advice over the phone or via our well-established e-group. Celebrants from all over Scotland meet together twice a year to share experiences and discuss problems arising in the work.

If you think this sort of practical humanism is for you, contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 07010 714 779