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THERAPEUTIC CLOWNING: ITS BEGINNINGS TO PRESENT DAY 
The profession of Therapeutic Clowning is in its 30th year. It has grown rapidly from its inception in Canada and the US and is now a global phenomenon boasting over 300 organizations with thousands of clown artists, practicing on every continent. In Canada, most pediatric hospitals house a Therapeutic Clown Program and there is a growing number of programs serving elders with dementia. Though currently unregulated and the standards for training and service are extremely wide and varied, there are many resources available to emerging or established clown artists working in the healthcare field. Happily there is a huge appetite for more research investigating the positive impact this practice is proving to provide to clients, families and staff. 
HOW DO I BECOME A THERAPEUTIC CLOWN?
You may be at the very beginning of your clown journey or perhaps you are further along. Here are suggestions to give you a better idea about what is involved in terms of applying and auditioning for such a position:   
The profession of Therapeutic Clowning in Canada (also mirrored in many other parts of the world) requires an individual who is ready to commit to a minimum amount of shifts per week in healthcare (depending on whether you are a primary partner or a substitute clown, this could be mean 1- 3 shifts a week, from 3-8 hrs per shift). On top of that, the clown artist must commit to a rigorous 'onboarding' orientation and training period and then once the trial period is over, ongoing continued professional development (6-8 hours per month). 
Aside from this commitment, we are looking for clown artists who ideally have:
  • a developed clown persona
  • minimum 1 year combination of both experience and training in theatrical clown
  • worked in an interdisciplinary setting before
  • minimum 2 years professional training in performance (ie theatre, dance, circus,  improvisation, movement, vocal, music)
  • experience performing 'in nose' in the public for a period of time (at festivals, busking, in circus, in cabarets or theatrical clown shows)
  • an excellent grasp of the intricate nature of clown (resulting from having seen many clown shows, cabarets, etc)
  • Basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Life Saving Course (BCLS) and Standard First Aid certification
and who are:
  •  team players (flexible, supportive, able to work independently and within team)
  •  organized
  •   in excellent health (mentally, physically, psychosocially)
  • willing to be 'in service' and set ego aside
  • reliable
  • mature (able to work in a professional environment and endure many hours of office work alongside clown work)
  • excellent communicators, demonstrates excellent reflective skills
  • excited about working in a duo
 Preference is also given to people who have demonstrated some knowledge or interest in the world of healthcare (this could include having had experience helping a loved one who was hospitalized, volunteering in healthcare, experience with people with special needs, etc).
We are also looking for an attitude of ‘being in service’ as opposed to ‘helping’ or ‘saving’. Humility must be at the core of what we do
NEXT STEPS?
If you are further along in your clown journey (over 2 years of study/performing in nose) and have kept your 'nose warm'--good for you!  You may now want to tend to other aspects of the artistic and healthcare side of things if you haven't already (volunteer in a hospital, join an improv, mask or mime class, take up an instrument, join clown groups on Facebook, watch the videos above from therapeutic clown programs worldwide....)
If you are newer to the art (having taken 1 or 2 workshops) my biggest advice is to continue to train in the art of clown; this is the BIGGEST muscle naturally, that one would be using as a Therapeutic Clown. I'm ultimately interested in people whose 'clown muscle' is warm and ready to go.
The best 3 ways to do this are:
·      take another clown workshop to develop your clown further
·      see as much clown as you can 
·      perform in nose at cabarets (there are many venues which would be open to your doing a clown turn...variety shows, etc)


ABOUT HELEN 
Helen is an award-winning teacher and has been a professional circus and theatrical clown for 25 years and a professional therapeutic clown since 2004. For over a decade, Helen has served in pediatrics (both trauma and rehabilitation) and geriatrics (specifically with elders with dementia). She is lead artistic trainer for the clown artists at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and has presented about the work and offered training at national and international conferences. She is dedicated to developing high standards in the field and developing ways to encourage more clown artists to become involved in this exciting and challenging work.
                CONTACT:                                                          therapeuticclown@gmail.com