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.

*funding

Actually, OP, I know lots of musicians - and quite a few of them are completely happy to put their Go Fund Me details all over Twitter, precisely to pay for postgraduate courses.

But then, they can offer something in return - free concerts or whatever, so it’s a more equitable transaction.

Why are you considering embarking on this course at all when you dont have the funds for it ?
In exceptional circumstances Crowd Funding can be a good thing but most of the time its tantamount to begging,
Why should total strangers pay for your degree? Get yourself a job love and save up ,

So the question is - what professional service could you offer donors in exchange for their money?

Without either free performances or a truly compelling sob-story I doubt you’d win out against the the thousands of other mendicants seeking generosity.

Loads of people do this!! I went on to Go Fund Me and there are 100's.

So typical of Mumsnet to get so worked up.

If people don't want to donate, they won't.

I'm not trying to put you off OP but I know two qualified play therapists and neither can get paid work as play therapists (one has gone back to teaching and the other to child nursing).
I would be checking out how many graduates from previous years are in paid employment as play therapists before committing because IME uni's will tell you anything to get you on the course.

Someone mentioned this further up this thread, I’m liking the look of it and this one is at Leeds hospital.

Have you thought about a 2 year masters in Occupational Therapy? This would attract funding and there is an ongoing shortage of OTs. Once qualified you could look at specialising in paeds?

Oops forgot to link:

www.google.com/search?q=education+mental+health+practitioner+jobs&rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB927GB927&oq=education+mental+&aqs=chrome.1.0i512j0i457i512j69i57j0i402j69i60l2.4382j0j7&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=tldetailasync&htidocid=mOEXNVwZxYrtKK9vAAAAAA%3D%3D&htiq=education%20mental%20health%20practitioner%20jobs&htivrt=jobs

Go for it - but I wouldn't donate and I think a lot of ppl will be the same. Another way may be to work in a role for a couple of years and look to them for funding/day release.

Sorry, although I sympathise with your situation there are much more worthy causes and charities that need help. I don't think crowd funding would be successful in that respect but I wish you all the best with the line of work you're trying to get into.

Personally, no.

Millions of us would like more money and opportunities.

[quote Spiceupyourlife1989]Oops forgot to link:

www.google.com/search?q=education+mental+health+practitioner+jobs&rlz=1CDGOYI_enGB927GB927&oq=education+mental+&aqs=chrome.1.0i512j0i457i512j69i57j0i402j69i60l2.4382j0j7&hl=en-GB&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=tldetailasync&htidocid=mOEXNVwZxYrtKK9vAAAAAA%3D%3D&htiq=education%20mental%20health%20practitioner%20jobs&htivrt=jobs[/quote]
Good idea. There is 'Trailblazer' funding for Educational Mental Health Practitioner and also Children and Young Peoples Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. Some places are recruiting to start the placement/course from January 2022.

They're a four day a week placement and one day in college, leading to a PGCert. Pay seems to be Band 4 during training year, then Band 5 with opportunities for progression.

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies/education-mental-health-practitioner

It's a no from me. I'm sorry you are having a tough time. I remember going to Iceland with twenty quid and a toddler in tow to buy as much beige food as l could. But things got better and l didn't ask people for help. I did it by myself and that makes it even more of an achievement.

Its not something I would contribute to because I like to see people get off their rear (the way I did) and pay for themselves.

I gained a 1st but was not immediately successful in getting state funding (back in late 1980s) so I signed on for a self funded part time degree. My supervsor said the funding bodies were looking for candidates with "more postgraduate experience", I got some paid tutoring and research work at the uni by asking my supervisor and colleagues. I also took an evening job teaching word-processing and computer skills at a local college.

In effect I did little during the first year towards my masters. However I gathered excellent data and was able to return the following year with a good solid research proposal which got me state funding to complete my masters and begin my doctorate.

I believe part of my success in attracting an award was that I showed I was able to support myself by working while studying and to turn that experience into data gathering.

@Claypotkitchentable

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

You don’t have to.

Personally I wouldn’t give you anything but what others do with their money is up to them.

As you appear to have chosen your degree badly enough not to be able to get a job, I would not throw good money after bad on a masters.

I wouldn’t donate but I don’t think YABU and I’ve seen a lot more being donated for a less worthy cause. You have nothing to lose, really, except maybe if it went viral and ended up as a LOOK AT THE CHEEK OF THIS PERSON article. But as I said, I’ve seen a lot less worthy funding pages than for education purposes.

I agree with pps that this thread isn't exactly your target audience?

There's no harm in thinking about how to set up a campaign and going for it.

I'd play up any "distinguishing factors" you have (do you have an international/religious background? were your parents armed forces or police?).

People often donate quietly to others who "remind them of themselves", they won't be on this thread though.

Is it worth doing lots of volunteering in very related field - i.e. set up an art therapy group for donations so you build your profile and get some experience, and have a "local following"? It would be good for your CV as well.

Or have a blog or an instagram and get yourself "known in the community" first.

I've seen two successful crowdfunders for similar and:

1. The guy looked quite posh so clearly had "connections of connections" who would subsidise him as he was very PLU (people like us) to them.

1. The guy had a Twitter he'd been using for a while so clearly wasn't just "popping up out of nowhere" and had social media profile (although not to excess). So again, PLU factor.

Both were doing artsy degrees so not medicine.

@choli

As you appear to have chosen your degree badly enough not to be able to get a job, I would not throw good money after bad on a masters.

Don't be so ridiculous. OP has a job, albeit not one that she wants to continue to do, but that's life, isn't it?

Could you volunteer with social care charities in order to give you experience to apply for the masters leading to being a social worker?

www.leedswakefieldteachingpartnership.org/social-work-courses/

I actually admire your motivation. It's awful that only those that can pay get to choose more education.

As others have said though, plan longer term. My DS is about to start an MA - he's had to work and save since graduating to be able to afford to go. I admire him for that.

There is also this...

www.inspiringsocialwork.org/learn-with-us/

[quote 2reefsin30knots]@Spiceupyourlife1989 My friend who was an experienced SEND TA got a job as an EMHP.

Postgraduate training is offered as part of the job.

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies/education-mental-health-practitioner[/quote]
Great suggestion here from @2reefsin30knots

Also IAPT, although off top of head I’m not sure if it is just open to psychology grads.

Job wise - would you consider a post working for a LA? Often their specialist teams employ TAs to work directly with children with ASD/ SEMH etc. Equally your experience already would make you suited to a job as SEN case officer .

Play therapy- high investment in terms of fees, private supervision, with no guaranteed income at the end. Anyone I know who has trained as a PT has come from an their current profession (social worker predominantly).

Good luck 💐