The course structure is that of four practical weekends at intervals, interspersed with three written modules and a fifth assessment weekend.
The aim of the course is to prepare the student to work with and advise individuals in the delicate areas in which they may request the services of LifeRites
Each student will be assigned a mentor who will be available for advice and clarification throughout the course.
The assessment is by:
Working journal. This journal is a personal response to the course. In it the student records issues arising from the units within the course, giving examples from their personal experience and how this could be viewed in a client/worker situation. Feelings, responses and issues raised from experiencing the course should also be recorded. These may be used as examples of the criteria where relevant.
Practical assessment and group work. The set up for group work within the course is with one student playing client, one playing worker and one observer. The observer is there to watch, take note and give feedback on the exercise. The assessment is operated in the same way with three of the students peers acting as observers marking a sheet where the criteria have been met. The course tutor or external assessor may also be present for all or part of this assessment.
Written work. Each of the three essays should be of 3,000 words and by research and experience. Titles should be chosen by the student within the area for each essay. The student should aim to meet the criteria relevant to the particular essay. Submission deadlines for this work will be two weeks before the next practical weekend in order that it may be marked, returned and any issues arising may be discussed at this time.
Viva. The viva will be an informal discussion with course tutors and mentor and possibly an external moderator. It provides the chance for the student to reinforce their understanding of the course content and an opportunity for the student to clarify any of the criteria that may not have been fully met in the rest of the assessment.
Where the student has failed to meet all of the criteria in the above then the recommendation of their mentor will be taken into account.
| Unit 1 | Introduction and Course Outline, |
| Unit 2 | Worker/Client relationship Boundaries, etc |
| Unit 3 | Getting to Know You |
| Unit 4 | Communication skills (1) Non-verbal communication |
| Unit 5 | Communication skills (2) Verbal communication |
| Unit 6 | Communication Skills (3) I’m listening, Really!!!!! |
| Guided Discussion |
| Unit 7, 8 & 9 | Communication skills. What we reveal to others |
| Session with Mentors | Explaining the role of a mentor, getting to know you, boundaries etc. |
Written component one: Effective Communication
| Discussion group – Issues arising from previous units | |
| Unit 10 | Words, Words, Words - The Language of Ritual |
| Unit 11 | The autonomy of the individual |
| Unit 12 | Group work. Practical Scenarios |
| Unit 13 | Confidentiality and Referral. Working with other agencies |
| Guided Discussion |
| Unit 14 | Transference and projection |
| Unit 15 | Anthropology of Ritual (1) |
| Session with Mentors | |
Written Component two: The Autonomy of the Individual
| Discussion group - Issues arising from previous units | |
| Unit 16 | Space and its use in Ritual - Practical Workshop |
| Unit 17 | The need for Supportive Debrief |
| Unit 18 | Group work: Practical Scenarios |
| Guided Discussion |
| Unit 19 | Grief and its effects |
| Unit 20 | Anthropology of Ritual (2) |
| Unit 21 | The Games People Play |
| Session with Mentors |
Written Component three: Grief and its effects
|
Unit 22 |
The Morning is taken up by a visit to a crematorium where talks will be given by a representative of the crematorium and a funeral director |
| Unit 23 | Senses and their use in Ritual |
| Unit 24 | Practical Scenarios |
| Guided Discussion |
| Unit 25 | Bureaucracy and Legalities |
| Unit 26 | The Death Process |
| Unit 27 | Celebrant Vs Clergy |
| Session with Mentors |
|
Discussion group. Allocation of practical assessment group timings and also of viva timings |
|
| Rest of the day | Practical assessment |
| Vivas |
| Endings |
Graduating Diploma students will be invited to attend the professional development weekend lectures and receive their certificates in the graduation ceremony
The working journal is one means of meeting the criteria required by the course. It is a student’s personal response to the course – the issues raised in modules and in essay research, personal issues raised by the course and the student’s experience of it.
The student should endeavour to use the journal to illustrate criteria both from experience of the course and by personal experience, using episodes from their life experience. This journal is confidential and will only be read by the facilitator and a sample by an external assessor, if one is used. Any external assessor will be bound by the same confidentiality. It is up to the individual student as to how open they are within their journal, but it should be noted that self awareness and a willingness to examine their own process is invaluable in meeting the criteria.
A preliminary submission of the first month’s journal should be submitted with the first essay in order that style and content may be adjusted, if needed, early in the course.
The subjects for the three essays are:
The student will choose their own essay title within these areas to reflect an area of interest to them. There will be opportunity to discuss possible titles and approaches with both the facilitator and the student’s mentor.
The essay should show evidence of personal research and experience and illustrate the course criteria. It should be noted that not every criterion may be met in an individual essay and that the student may elect to meet some of the criteria in each.
The content of the essay should have direct relevance to the chosen title and should contain both introduction and summary.
Each essay must be no more than 3,000 words and must be accompanied by a bibliography of all research material.
All direct quotes from research material should be indented left and right within the body of the text and annotated by author, publication and page number.
It may be useful for the student to consider which areas and approaches they may choose for their essays before the start of the course to give them ample time for research.
The deadline of two weeks before each practical weekend must be adhered to, in order that the essay may be handed back at the practical weekend (extensions may be granted where there is evidence of genuine need). The meeting of deadlines is an important part of the work of the individual and also demonstrates criteria surrounding boundaries.