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.

Have you not looked into additional loans, bursaries and scholarships? There is usually help for people on low incomes.

@onelittlefrog

Have you not looked into additional loans, bursaries and scholarships? There is usually help for people on low incomes.

Yes that'd be my suggestion, my neighbour is a single parent and won (?) a scholarship and a small bursary for her postgraduate. I would imagine that's more likely to be fruitful than a go fund me.

@Spiceupyourlife1989

Might be worth looking at an apprenticeship with an employer. There is a standard approved for play therapy at Masters Level

www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/play-therapist-v1-0

YABU
I’m only educated to GCSE level and have a small child. I’m not about to ask people to pay for my education besides I earn a good salary anyway

I remember seeing someone crowd funding to take their dc to Disney land because they deserved to have the memories.

😳wtf

I find it especially cheeky because I took a loan to pay for my masters so why should I give money for you to do one for free?

Same. It took me about 5 years to pay it off as a single mum. Got there in the end and went on to do a PhD afterwards. I didn't beg from strangers - I didn't expect them to care about my career dreams tbh.

If you have a degree now, but aren't working, what works change to allow you to work with a masters?
Who would look after your child while you're studying?

And is "play therapy" really worthy of a masters? What role would it lead to that you can't do now?

Would you need your own therapy and supervison? I’m training to be a psychotherapist and work two jobs because even though I got a masters loan and a small bursary from my training college the extras are so much. Think insurance (£60pa) professional fees (£90pa) plus weekly therapy (£50) and fortnightly supervison (£75).

IME BAPT, UKCP, BACP etc do also offer a small bursary which you can apply for but often only if you add diversity to the profession.

I did a postgrad degree and funded 70% of it by applying to various charities/trusts who specifically exist to support people doing what you are trying to do. It takes a bit of time/letter and email writing and a lot of rejection but if you can sit down with a charity register for a couple of days you can fund a lot of it yourself! The other 30% I got a career development loan for because it was before the postgrad loan existed, I’ve just finished paying it off now 😅 check out the alternative guide to postgraduate funding, I think that’s where I started looking.

Why not study pt, most masters are available pt.

For PhDs there is full funding available, if you can't get a funded one I would suggest questioning if it's the right path for you, exh has had many self funders over the years and always says he only takes them because the university makes him, none of them have gone onto professional careers because there was a reason they didn't get funded

Do it part time? I got the loan, work full time and have a toddler. It’s very difficult, possibly wouldn’t recommend it, but worth it.

You can work and complete a masters, I worked full time and did my masters on top. Get a job and do a distance learning masters paid for by the loan.

You should pay for it yourself like everyone else has to..

Can you work and do it part-time?

Wow so many replies, I didn’t expect so many, it’s helping me get some perspective reading through them.

My undergrad degree is Sociology. Most jobs in the mental health field (which I’d like to work in) ask for the qualifications AND relevant experience. Usually paid, but how can I get the paid experience if no one will give me a chance? I really want to become a play therapist.
I’ve been working as a special needs support assistant / mentor in primary schools for about 8 years, so I have plenty of experience with children. I’m currently doing that now, but only part time as there are so few full time jobs in schools at the moment, except teaching itself. The TA/support roles are so poorly paid, I’m relying on universal credit despite having a very crucial role for these young people, dealing with paperwork, liasising with outside agencies like the ed psych team and even delivering speech and language programmes to children. My wages were £1000 a month for full time work in a school previously.
I started my PGCE some years ago, but left because I decided I really didn’t want to be a teacher and I still don’t.

If you want to give it a go feel free. I doubt you will raise anywhere near the money you need though, as there are many many people in your position. And it may change how some people see you.

I'd also advise you look at the employment rates of the course you are looking at - and delve beyond just a percentage. Find out what proportion of people actually got a full-time play therapy job.

Play therapy is vital and important but jobs are few and far between, with many people going after each job. Also many of the contracts are part time (often only one or two days a week) and temporary. Many people with play therapy qualifications end up in other roles and very quickly their play therapy qualification becomes redundant unless they keep up their experience by doing play therapy work on a voluntary basis to keep their hand in. Please bear in mind that organisations like the NHS/Social Services often pay for their existing employees to do qualifications in things like play therapy (as play therapy will only be a proportion of their role) rather than advertise specifically for a play therapist. Because often play therapy is only a part of a job role, applicants are also often qualified in other therapies as well (eg drama therapy, art therapy, counselling, DBT, CBT, EMDR, etc) Unless you also have other similar qualifications (or a way of getting them) you are likely to be at a disadvantage when applying for jobs.

Also because the jobs are few and far between (and very competitive) you may well need to be prepared to significantly relocate. You could set up as self-employed after you graduate but this would require both investment and getting considerable experience (which you may well need to do on a voluntary basis).

If you are looking for a masters that increases your employability and income, particularly in the shorter term (eg the next 5 to 10 years) then play therapy probably isn't the one for you unless you have someone else who could support you post-masters while you establish yourself.

I think you have a cheek as others have said there are loads of mums who want to improve their lot. You are already being helped by the tax payer, have a degree now you want people to pay for you to do a masters. Do what other people do go to work and fund yourself.

Why not get a job as a play therapist and do the Masters part-time?

If you really really want to do it, you have to make it work!

Unfortunately, if I am honest, I don't think you would raise enough through a crowdfunded for a masters. I am assuming you want to study full time?

What is your first degree in?

Is part time an option while you work?

I am about to start an MA relevant to my job (I am a teacher in a middle leadership position and would eventually like to move into senior leadership) but I am doing it part time alongside my full time job. I have a 7 year old.

The uni I am doing it with allow you to pay for one module at a time. Most unis I looked at allowed this for part time postgraduate courses. The course is also run online so I don't have to go to sessions in evenings or at weekends which would be tricky. I did my middle leadership course mostly online with 3 days face to face but during my work hours as my school supported it.

It's fine studying online -you have to make sure you stay organised and be self motivated but it's doable.

I'm rambling now but what I am saying is, there are part time options that may be more achievable and realistic than a full time course.

@Spiceupyourlife1989

Wow so many replies, I didn’t expect so many, it’s helping me get some perspective reading through them.

My undergrad degree is Sociology. Most jobs in the mental health field (which I’d like to work in) ask for the qualifications AND relevant experience. Usually paid, but how can I get the paid experience if no one will give me a chance? I really want to become a play therapist.
I’ve been working as a special needs support assistant / mentor in primary schools for about 8 years, so I have plenty of experience with children. I’m currently doing that now, but only part time as there are so few full time jobs in schools at the moment, except teaching itself. The TA/support roles are so poorly paid, I’m relying on universal credit despite having a very crucial role for these young people, dealing with paperwork, liasising with outside agencies like the ed psych team and even delivering speech and language programmes to children. My wages were £1000 a month for full time work in a school previously.
I started my PGCE some years ago, but left because I decided I really didn’t want to be a teacher and I still don’t.

Social work and mental health nursing masters courses are bursaried - and have much greater employability than play therapy.

On reflection I’ve realised it’s a bit cheeky, re reading the replies.
I just wish my current job paid better and because that’s where all my experience is, I now struggle to get a job elsewhere.
PGCE looks like my only option, but I really don’t want to teach.
Hopefully I’ll make my dream of working in mental health with children happen one day, I just need to get saving!

Sorry cross posted with you!

What about social work? There are different branches but I don't know much about the courses -you would have to investigate.

So you’ve got a degree , presumably to improve your job prospects and it hasn’t
Why do you think another degree will? It’s not a magic solution
And no, I wouldn’t contribute and think you were a CF who should get a job

I think it would be an epic mistake going down the PGCE route if you don’t want to teach.

It’s unlikely that Play therapy will earn you much money. We have hired them before at my school, but it’s in dribs and drabs and schools are so strapped for cash. The one I used to use left and went back to her old job after doing the training. She was self-employed as a PT and worried about long term/pension etc.