Funeral Arranger Review

I assist in the arranging of funerals. I liaise with various departments within my company and the community in order to help the bereaved and provide the best quality of service and care. I also maintain the running of the office, completing all admin tasks and adhering to company policies with regards to peoples personal information. I update multiple systems to ensure the highest standards of care are met for both our deceased and our families. Communication between our departments is vital to ensure our clients feel safe in our hands

I have learned about the legalities of caring for the deceased, involvement of doctors and coroners. Paperwork and law with regards to cremation and burial. Power of attorney and probate. Environmental concerns. Administration, using different systems for inputting information, GDPR and storage of personal information. Safeguarding and health and safety laws

Very much. It is stretching my knowledge and helping me to retain it. Some aspects of the job we do not necessarily deal with daily so it is easy to become out of practice. The programme keeps the knowledge fresh in your mind and helps you to think further ahead. It is also assisting me in getting experience of the other roles within my sector.

Our coach is very approachable and assists with any queries we have. The structure is easy to follow as the modules are all relevant to what we are doing day to day. We know well in advance when we are going to be in touch with our coach so there is no ambiguity about when we will be speaking to them next.

A fair amount. They are happy for us to use our time for apprenticeship related tasks. I would prefer it if they were a little more proactive with what we are doing, and to guide us a little more. Perhaps, help with the logistics of spending time with our colleagues in other roles so that we have a better understanding.

A lot. They keep in touch often, via email and phone. They are very helpful and provide extra training support for fields that we may want to go in to long term. They point us in the right direction for information and flag up areas where there is not as much clarification or information so we always feel supported.

It gets rid of any ambiguity about certain areas. We need to be able to convey to our clients that we are confident in our knowledge at a time when they are at their most vulnerable. People do not tend to deal with us very often and often do not understand the complex issues that may arise. With this qualification, I feel a lot more confident.

Occasionally there are social activities, (bingo etc). We also try to get out into the community as much as we can. We will be attending Pride which is a professional networking event but also social. People tend to do their own social fundraising but are always supported by the wider team

Yes

From my personal experience, there is always someone to help you should you need it. I have been well supported, had room and opportunity to progress and am being given the opportunity to gain a qualification. I have great colleagues, the wage is fair, and the colleague benefits are great

Be yourself. You will get out of this job what you put in, so be willing to help others as everyone is willing to help you. Keep up to date with what is going on in your local community as The Co-op is very community orientated. Be proactive with your own learning