scholarly journals Community Music Therapy: A Pathway to a Sense of Belonging in a School Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Gary Davidson

<p>This research investigated the intersection between a student's work in a special school, where one of the primary aims was to develop students' sense of belonging, and Community Music Therapy (CoMT). A sense of belonging was understood to be a feeling of safety and comfort that engenders a willingness to engage with the environment and the people within that environment. Narratives of work with two students in the school have been analysed to uncover themes relating to CoMT, especially with regard to 'belonging'.  Secondary analysis of the data was used in conjunction with a narrative enquiry. Data was collected using clinical music therapy notes; school documentation; Individual Education Plans; notes on group observations; notes on discussions with teachers support staff, parents and care givers; and video recordings. The music therapy student's experiences with each of the two students were described in narrative form, separately, and in chronological order to preserve meaning. The stories were then written again (restoried) in relation to the characteristics of CoMT.  The findings suggested that in both cases, students displayed a greater willingness to take part in the organised and informal communal musicing that took place within various contexts of the school. It also showed that the student music therapist resourced the participants on a relational level, resourced their personal strengths and enabled them to access the wider community resources.</p>

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Gary Davidson

<p>This research investigated the intersection between a student's work in a special school, where one of the primary aims was to develop students' sense of belonging, and Community Music Therapy (CoMT). A sense of belonging was understood to be a feeling of safety and comfort that engenders a willingness to engage with the environment and the people within that environment. Narratives of work with two students in the school have been analysed to uncover themes relating to CoMT, especially with regard to 'belonging'.  Secondary analysis of the data was used in conjunction with a narrative enquiry. Data was collected using clinical music therapy notes; school documentation; Individual Education Plans; notes on group observations; notes on discussions with teachers support staff, parents and care givers; and video recordings. The music therapy student's experiences with each of the two students were described in narrative form, separately, and in chronological order to preserve meaning. The stories were then written again (restoried) in relation to the characteristics of CoMT.  The findings suggested that in both cases, students displayed a greater willingness to take part in the organised and informal communal musicing that took place within various contexts of the school. It also showed that the student music therapist resourced the participants on a relational level, resourced their personal strengths and enabled them to access the wider community resources.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sidharth Pagad

<p>This qualitative research project set out to explore my role as a student music therapist within a community music setting. I am a student music therapist, working with a community music company involved in a variety of community music groups and projects. I wanted to understand what I might offer the community music company by bringing a community music therapy perspective to the work.  The research involved an exploration into the literature relating to Community Music Therapy as well as Community Music and required me to regularly question the reasoning and philosophy behind Community Music Work. To answer my question I engaged in secondary analysis of data generated during the first 24 weeks at this community music placement. The data included session notes, audio recordings of supervision sessions, and my reflective journal.  The literature includes examples of collaboration between community music therapists and community musicians, and I sought to experience this at my placement. The hoped for collaboration did take place during the period of data collection, enabling detailed reflections of it. This exploration therefore helped me to develop as a community musician and music therapy student.  The practice was broad and involved regular transitions in role, often within the same session. These included participant, accompanist, song-leader, community music therapist, and drum circle facilitator. Findings suggest that Community Music and Community Music Therapy are disciplines with many similarities in appearance and structure, but tend to diverge when looking at goals and overall objectives and foci.  Social equality seems to be commonly shared value between Community Music and Community Music Therapy. The ways in which this value is acted upon is also explored.  Performance and Performativity as aspects of group behaviour was found to be mentioned in the literature, and again this was mentioned in the data collected as part of the researcher’s placement.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip Verneert ◽  
Luc Nijs ◽  
Thomas De Baets

In this contribution, we draw on findings from a non-formal, community music project to elaborate on the relationship between the concept of eudaimonia, as defined by Seligman, the interactive dimensions of collective free improvisation, and the concept of collaborative creativity. The project revolves around The Ostend Street Orkestra (TOSO), a music ensemble within which homeless adults and individuals with a psychiatric or alcohol/drug related background engage in collective musical improvisation. Between 2017 and 2019 data was collected through open interviews and video recordings of rehearsals and performances. Participant data was analyzed through inductive analysis based on the principles of grounded theory. One interesting finding was the discrepancy in the participant interviews between social relationships indicative of a negative affect about social group interaction versus strong feelings of group coherence and belonging. Video recordings of performances and rehearsals showed clear enjoyment and pleasure while playing music. Alongside verbal reflection through one-on-one interviews video recordings and analysis of moment-to moment observations should be used, in order to capture the complexity of community music projects with homeless people. The initial open coding was aligned with the five elements of the PERMA model. Overall, we observed more focus on Relationship (sense of belonging), Engagement (flow in rehearsals and performances) and Meaning (belonging to something greater than yourself) and less on Positive Emotion and Accomplishment (goal setting).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sidharth Pagad

<p>This qualitative research project set out to explore my role as a student music therapist within a community music setting. I am a student music therapist, working with a community music company involved in a variety of community music groups and projects. I wanted to understand what I might offer the community music company by bringing a community music therapy perspective to the work.  The research involved an exploration into the literature relating to Community Music Therapy as well as Community Music and required me to regularly question the reasoning and philosophy behind Community Music Work. To answer my question I engaged in secondary analysis of data generated during the first 24 weeks at this community music placement. The data included session notes, audio recordings of supervision sessions, and my reflective journal.  The literature includes examples of collaboration between community music therapists and community musicians, and I sought to experience this at my placement. The hoped for collaboration did take place during the period of data collection, enabling detailed reflections of it. This exploration therefore helped me to develop as a community musician and music therapy student.  The practice was broad and involved regular transitions in role, often within the same session. These included participant, accompanist, song-leader, community music therapist, and drum circle facilitator. Findings suggest that Community Music and Community Music Therapy are disciplines with many similarities in appearance and structure, but tend to diverge when looking at goals and overall objectives and foci.  Social equality seems to be commonly shared value between Community Music and Community Music Therapy. The ways in which this value is acted upon is also explored.  Performance and Performativity as aspects of group behaviour was found to be mentioned in the literature, and again this was mentioned in the data collected as part of the researcher’s placement.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Hafren Thomson

<p>This qualitative research investigates the music therapy approaches taken in order to support well-being at a day centre for adults with disabilities. Music therapy at the day centre involved individual and group sessions, engaging in music with the wider community, developing trust and supporting each other. The research centred on secondary analysis of music therapy practice text, collected during a five-month period at the day centre. Literature about music / music therapy being able to support well-being in community settings, especially in relation to the practice of community music therapy, was reviewed. The research question 'How did I support well-being at a community day centre for adults with other abilities using music therapy?' was established. Secondary analysis was the methodology used for this study, involving no disruption to regular practice as a student therapist and being low-risk for music therapy participants. A thematic analysis of texts was undertaken and this was developed from; research text, supervision text and a reflective journal of my practice. Analysis involved coding and sorting text and developing meaningful themes. The findings of the analysis demonstrated three core themes which involved supporting well-being: encouraging a sense of fun, promoting a sense of purpose and developing togetherness.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Colette Jansen

<p>Abstract  This study is submitted in part fulfilment of a Master of Music Therapy degree through Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Group and individual music therapy sessions were undertaken within a rest home and hospital environment in response to the rest home managers request to bring residents out of isolation and increase socialisation. Facility notes, plans and observations, meeting notes, and reflective and reflexive journaling were written during a six-month period from February to July 2019. This clinical data was then used, with informed consent, to investigate how music therapy was used to foster connections between residents, and between residents and others within the rest home and hospital environment. Findings from Secondary Analysis of the data showed the overarching category of rapport led to the interplay of four main themes: interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork, therapeutic approaches, physical and musical resources, and environmental conditions. The Community Music Therapy (CoMT) ethos supported the flexible work within the context to achieve the manager’s goals resulting in increased connection between residents, and residents and others. The use of reflexivity enabled the development of richer therapeutic relationships and helped align the researcher’s community musician skills to those of a community music therapist. Further studies which focus on rapport, connection and relationships, in music therapy with older people, are needed.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Hafren Thomson

<p>This qualitative research investigates the music therapy approaches taken in order to support well-being at a day centre for adults with disabilities. Music therapy at the day centre involved individual and group sessions, engaging in music with the wider community, developing trust and supporting each other. The research centred on secondary analysis of music therapy practice text, collected during a five-month period at the day centre. Literature about music / music therapy being able to support well-being in community settings, especially in relation to the practice of community music therapy, was reviewed. The research question 'How did I support well-being at a community day centre for adults with other abilities using music therapy?' was established. Secondary analysis was the methodology used for this study, involving no disruption to regular practice as a student therapist and being low-risk for music therapy participants. A thematic analysis of texts was undertaken and this was developed from; research text, supervision text and a reflective journal of my practice. Analysis involved coding and sorting text and developing meaningful themes. The findings of the analysis demonstrated three core themes which involved supporting well-being: encouraging a sense of fun, promoting a sense of purpose and developing togetherness.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Colette Jansen

<p>Abstract  This study is submitted in part fulfilment of a Master of Music Therapy degree through Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Group and individual music therapy sessions were undertaken within a rest home and hospital environment in response to the rest home managers request to bring residents out of isolation and increase socialisation. Facility notes, plans and observations, meeting notes, and reflective and reflexive journaling were written during a six-month period from February to July 2019. This clinical data was then used, with informed consent, to investigate how music therapy was used to foster connections between residents, and between residents and others within the rest home and hospital environment. Findings from Secondary Analysis of the data showed the overarching category of rapport led to the interplay of four main themes: interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork, therapeutic approaches, physical and musical resources, and environmental conditions. The Community Music Therapy (CoMT) ethos supported the flexible work within the context to achieve the manager’s goals resulting in increased connection between residents, and residents and others. The use of reflexivity enabled the development of richer therapeutic relationships and helped align the researcher’s community musician skills to those of a community music therapist. Further studies which focus on rapport, connection and relationships, in music therapy with older people, are needed.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-56
Author(s):  
Elyna Amir Sharji ◽  
Lim Yan Peng ◽  
Peter Charles Woods ◽  
Vimala Perumal ◽  
Rose Linda Zainal Abidin

The challenge of transforming an empty space into a gallery setting takes on the concept of place making. A place can be seen as space that has meaning when the setting considers space, surroundings, contents, the people and its activities. This research concentrates on investigating how visitors perceive the space by gauging their sense of place (sense of belonging towards a place). Galleries are currently facing changes in this technological era whereby multiple content and context, space and form, display modes, tools and devices are introduced in one single space. An observational study was done during the Foundation Studies Annual Exhibition held at Faculty of Creative Multimedia, Multimedia University. The exhibition was curated and managed by staff and students of Foundation Year showcasing an array of design works. Analogue and digital presentations of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and video works were displayed.. The outcome of this research will contribute towards a better design criteria of place making which affects individual behaviour, social values and attitudes. Characterizing types of visitor experience will improve the understanding of a better design criteria of place making, acceptance, understanding and satisfaction.


Author(s):  
Stuart Wood ◽  
Gary Ansdell

This chapter outlines the historical and current relationship between community music and music therapy—in particular the seeming overlap between community music and the newer sub-discipline of music therapy called community music therapy. The chapter argues for a re-imagining of certain key areas of joint concern and potential linked to the broader shared agenda of working musically with people. These topics indicate a way for community music and music therapy to align and collaborate in a relationship that can be both ‘joint’ and ‘several’—ensuring that the work remains creative, effective, responsible, and professional for people and their communities.


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