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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 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. NAFHCO (North American Federation of Healthcare Clowning Organizations), co-founded by Helen, was created in 2018 in order to offer qualified programs to belong to a Professional Association, enjoying the supports and opportunities for growth that every practitioner needs. 

HOW DO I BECOME A THERAPEUTIC CLOWN?
NEWS! BIG NEWS! In 2018, Helen created North America's first THERAPEUTIC CLOWNING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM.   She is thrilled to announce its successful commencement at George Brown College Continuing Education in Toronto from Sept 2018 to June 2019!  8 talented students received the very best of training (350 hours) from clown veteran artists at world-renowned sites for studio, classroom and job shadowing/student placement learning. Hands-on experience in the heart of Toronto allowed students to gain a thorough training for their future job placements and tools for resiliency and longevity for their own practice. They have since all joined in Helen's Not-for-Profit company RED NOSE REMEDY offering therapeutic clowning services to vulnerable populations across the age spectrum.


WHAT CAN I DO TO INCREASE MY CHANCES TO BE A THERAPEUTIC CLOWN IN FUTURE?
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 (2-8 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----NOT as a clown!, 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. We are 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)
WITNESS THE WORK: see the film!
For a taste of the life of a Therapeutic Clown, you may order your own copy of Helen's Documentary film 'A Therapeutic Clown Emerges: our story of recruitment and training.' In it you will understand what we look for in a candidate and see for yourself how the supports and training a successful candidate receives leads them to be competent and artistically free on the units! Witness multiple plays with kids (toddlers to teens) and examine the methodology and techniques of duoship clowning. To order it, visit the Documentary film page. Here is the trailer:
                CONTACT:                                                          therapeuticclown@gmail.com
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