To set up a crowd fund to pay for my post graduate degree?

[Spiceupyourlife1989]

I don’t have the funds to pay it and am currently living on a low income, topped up by universal credit.
I know the post grad loans are £11,500 or thereabouts, but that’s to pay for course fees AND to live on without help, I won’t be able to do it. I want to improve my job prospects, specifically for my toddler son, who I don’t want to end up going without, particularly when he starts school.

All these pp's saying "people will silently judge you". Who cares!

OP, probably. Most people would care if their friends and family were negatively judging them, wouldn't they?

[quote Spiceupyourlife1989]I live near Leeds and this is one I’m looking into:

www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/courses/child-adolescent-mental-health-msc/[/quote]
I'm sorry OP, butI'm not sure an UG in Sociology would count for the entry requirements.

@VapeVamp12

All these pp's saying "people will silently judge you". Who cares!

Most people with any self awareness at all, really.

@MaliceOrgan

Good luck but I can't imagine you will get many people wanting to contribute (especially given how many people are struggling financially right now). I did my MA part time (over 2 years instead of 1) and just kept working FT so that I could pay for it myself. Yes it was hard - financially and workload-wise but it was worth it. Would you consider doing yours part time while working?

I agree with this - and did this myself. It was hard work, doing the MA & working full time, but manageable - though admittedly I didn’t have a toddler in the mix! I’d take the post grad loan over two years and complete the MA part-time whilst working (either part-time or full-time if you can manage the hours).

I think rather than crowd funding you’d be more likely to get practical help - e.g. if someone can look after your child the night before a deadline, or contributing to uni equipment for Christmas/birthdays.

Have a look at BACP or UKCP and find a list of their accredited courses. The one that you posted a link to would not qualify you to be a therapist. I think there's a Tavistock centre in Leeds that does training to become a child psychoanalyst but that is a much longer route and I think you actually have to have completed an MA already

@BeauxRingarde I thought it would come under social science?

Applicants should either have at least a second class honours degree in a relevant professional subject area of Youth Work, Nursing, Social Work or Education, at least a second class honours degree in the cognate academic subjects of Health and Social Care or Social Sciences

Maybe this one?

www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/courses/therapeutic-counselling-diphe

Forgive me for piggy-backing on your thread, OP - I’ve started this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/4327788-Is-there-a-specific-Mature-Study-Retraining-board?msgid=110096218

and yours is exactly the sort of question I was thinking of.

It might at a stretch, but in my experience Sociology would not be seen as a cognate to Social Care etc...an UG in Psychology would but not Soc.

(I'm really not trying to be mean, I wish someone would have been honest with me when I was starting off rather than the fake positivity!) Also, I am not very familiar with UK quals so I could be entirely wrong and you could well qualify.

@Jofischoice that looks great, but unfortunately the entry requirements say you need a certificate in counselling skills and other experience in counselling.

@GreyhoundG1rl

All these pp's saying "people will silently judge you". Who cares!

Most people with any self awareness at all, really.

Some of us are very aware of what judgey people think of us, and still don't give two hoots

@BeauxRingarde you might be right, but as it says social sciences, I might contact the university directly and ask them.

Some of us are very aware of what judgey people think of us, and still don't give two hoots grin

That's a shame, because absorbing the judgement of others is often what leads us to change poor behaviours. Generally, those that don't care at all about the judgement of others don't change their poor behaviours, and can impact negatively on others.

This may help www.bacp.co.uk/careers/careers-in-counselling/training/

I'm sure Leeds Beckett must have that foundation certificate? I don't know any therapists who did sociology at undergrad but it is a social science so can't see why it wouldn't come under that category. You have good experience working with children too. Just try to avoid a course that doesn't actually give you any counselling or therapy qualifications or it won't give you a route in.

This is a good website for finding alternative funding sources for postgraduate study. www.postgraduate-funding.com/

Are you being serious. Don’t be so grabby. It’s not up to strangers to fund your education. How entitled of you.

How certain are you that a post graduate qualification would enhance your employment prospects ?

Or is it just a case of that you wish to have more years in education, to avoid employment ?

Do your prospective employers offer further training opportunities ?

During lockdown, I read an article which stated that some employers valued a degree, plus experience of the working world ( soft skills in any industry) over a further qualification

Someone may be able to link the article

@WhirlSwirl539 for the particular fields I’d like to work in it looks like a post graduate qualification and experience are pretty imperative. I’d much rather go straight into working, but it doesn’t seem like an option that’s open to me.

Might your current school support training as an ELSA here? Some of the TAs at our junior school underwent training and they have really helped in school with children with emotional support needs. It might help as a stepping stone on the path you want to go down and lead to other opportunities?

Can’t you get a scholarship? And tbh if you can’t get a scholarship then what makes you so special, when other people have to pay for their masters?

Good idea @FanSpamTastic! Training and working as an ELSA alongside doing a foundation certificate in counselling I reckon would be a great way to start.

Play Therapy FFS start earning an income & further your studies part time on your own dime. No one owes you. I feel embarrassed on your behalf.

[quote Spiceupyourlife1989]@BeauxRingarde you might be right, but as it says social sciences, I might contact the university directly and ask them.[/quote]
I think that is a really good idea. Ideally ask to speak to an admissions tutor. Don't be put off if it's hard to get through to a person!

Claypotkitchentable If you read the OP's updates, you will see that she is not looking to set up a crowdfunder anymore. She is considering how she could combine paid work and study. Not everyone is lucky enough to have someone in their life who knows about different ways to combine work and study.

Other people save up themselves for postgrads - that’s what me and DH did - no holidays and worked our arses off. I think most people would think you are entitled if you did that.

I really wasn’t trying to come off as looking entitled. I’m a little embarrassed to be honest. Strangely, I actually saw the idea on a website about finding your post grad course, so I guess some people do it, although it looks pretty clear the general consensus is negative.