Outspoken…
In the study "Outspoken... Conversational skills for funeral directors and ritual counselors" we are investigating with a multidisciplinary consortium how real-life funeral preparation conversations go. We make visible what funeral professionals unconsciously do in conversations and identify points for improvement and possible solutions, and exchange them within the consortium. We also investigate what a good conversation entails for different people involved and how ideology plays a role.
Objective
The aim is to support funeral professionals in professionalizing conversational conduct.
To this end, we are developing a multi-purpose reflection toolkit for funeral professionals to reflect on their daily conversation practice on the basis of analysis of real life conversations.
Results
The expected practical outcome is an empirically grounded, multi‑purpose reflection toolkit:
- for funeral professionals to reflect on their daily practice,
- as teaching material for funeral educators,
- as teaching material for higher professional education (HBO) focusing on communication skills, and
- for professional and trade associations in their support of professionals, for example through e‑learning.
The reflection toolkit will consist of examples from real‑life conversations, accompanied by questions, assignments, explanations, and related materials, depending on the needs identified within the consortium (§6.3.5; WP5). Indirectly, the project aims to support bereaved families and relatives in the process of saying goodbye.
The theoretical outcome consists of innovative knowledge in the fields of conversation analysis, ritual and death studies, and worldview studies/practical theology, disseminated through national and international publications and presentations.
Approach
With funeral professionals, we conduct interviews in which they listen back to their own recordings from WP1. With bereaved relatives, we hold online group discussions.
The transcripts of the audio‑stimulated interviews and the group discussions are thematically analysed, in line with the substantive, exploratory research question. Conversations of funeral and ritual counselors are analyzed with conversation analysis.
Education impact
Education for Funeral Professionals (post‑HBO)
By making recordings for a backup dataset, students at GaandeweG can review their own conversations and reflect on them, with or without an interview component. Funeral education providers GaandeweG and FuneQlass will incorporate the reflection toolkit into their curricula.
Higher Professional Education (HBO)?
Students of Social Work (Utrecht University of Applied Sciences) and theology (CHE) will provide feedback on the prototype of the reflection toolkit. The beta version will be integrated into their curricula. CHE will author an article that will be used as educational material.
Impact on the Research Community
he findings are presented at national and international conferences, in professional journals and in scientific journals.
Projectupdates
HU researchers involved in the research
Collaboration with knowledge partners
Christelijke Hogeschool Ede, Universiteit Utrecht, Tilburg University, Uppsala University, Uitvaartverzorging Bijdehand, Samen Afscheid Vormgeven, Uitvaart Fryslan, Het Unieke Afscheid, Afscheid Agnes van Wijk, Good Rite, Noordezon Ritueelbegeleiding, Ondersteuning en begeleiding bij verlies, Rondom Rouw en Verlies, FuneQlass, GaandeweG, Landelijke vereniging van Ritueelbegeleiders, BGNU
Co-funding
RAAK SIA
