Interpreting at Funerals with Gill Behenna & David Miles

By the end of the session the participants will have:

• Clarified the role of the Interpreter before, at and after the funeral
• Understood the role of the Officiant and the need for team work and collaboration
• Explored the structure of ‘the funeral’ and its variations
• Developed skills and strategies for handling the language of funeral
• Discussed funeral coping strategies as a Professional and as an individual.The training will be given by two award-winning experts in the field, a Civil Celebrant and a Priest, working together to deliver training that encompasses a range of funeral ceremonies.David Miles, the National Funeral Celebrant of the Year 2018 (Good Funeral Awards) was specifically trained in the role and qualified as a Celebrant in 2014. He has a depth of experience in funeral services, is passionate and totally committed to providing quality person centred bereavement and funeral celebrant services. He utilises his skills, knowledge and experience he has gained over the years as a Nurse (RNLD), Social Worker (DipSW), Trainer (FAETC, NVQ Level 4, Makaton) Bereavement Counsellor (Cruse) and Funeral Director (DipFD) as well as pulling on his own life experience. He identifies as a Disabled Person having been deaf all his life.Gill Behenna, the National Funeral Minister of the year 2016 (Good Funeral Awards), is a Church of England priest working as both Chaplain with the Deaf Community for the Diocese of Bristol and National Deaf Ministry adviser for the Church of England. She is a Registered BSL/English Interpreter and became a Fellow of the Association of Sign Language Interpreters in 2012. She originally trained as a teacher and is still passionate about helping people improve their knowledge and practice. She also carries out training in religious interpreting for Signs of God – a national charity that she helped to found.