The Music Therapy Charity funding inspires our students to plan their clinical work as well as supporting their own finances and wellbeing. Each year they use the opportunity to develop their research plans and clinical learning, as well as understanding how they can contribute to the future of the music therapy profession.
Some students use their bursary to fund their therapy session fees, travel expenses and childcare, all important aspects and additional costs to the course fees. Others use it to purchase equipment for music therapy sessions such as an iPad, other tech equipment or instruments for interactive music making. Some buy books or attend conferences to learn about the latest developments in the field. For students with disabilities the funding can provide a vital extra source of support. Each student is encouraged to be creative in their application. This, in itself, is a skillset to be developed for future work.
Having the MTC bursaries means we can confidently tell students and prospective applicants that their training is valued. Our course in Wales prides itself on ensuring that we are accessible to as many people as possible – we have an intentionally blended learning structure where students attend the course once a fortnight for an intensive day of practice-based work and can attend other sessions online. We attract students from all over the UK, including Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and far flung parts of England including Cornwall and Yorkshire. This enriches the learning experience, bringing a wide range of experience and prior learning to our cohorts. The bursaries play a key role in allowing travel opportunities for our diverse student audience.
At the University of South Wales we have a civic duty to ensure music therapy is on offer to as many people in Wales as possible. The MTC helps us with this, and numbers of music therapists in Wales have risen hugely since our course had its first graduates 10 years ago in 2015. The MTC has played a key role in helping Wales develop its music therapy provision, and we are so grateful for that; Diolch yn fawr!
We know our students value the MTC’s support; it’s good for them to know the MTC understands how hard it is to fund this important training and is on their side.
The MTC bursaries contribute much more than just funding for students. The MTC offers support for research and holds regular conferences that show the students they are part of a community. As the only training centre in Wales we hugely value membership of this wider network. It’s important to show students the connections that exist beyond Wales, and demonstrate that we are part of a national and global community. The MTC gives a voice and face to music therapy research and practice, shining a light on the incredible work that is being done here in the UK. The MTC is a vital part of the music therapy profession in the UK; long may it continue!