….Case study by participant Ian

Ian has been a volunteer leader at an afterschool club for ten years and also volunteers at a drug and alcohol project. He is an experienced guitarist who has played in several professional bands and his interest in using music as an activity with young people led him to work experience shadowing a music therapist. He is currently undertaking a part time degree in Occupational Therapy.

Ian attended the ‘Community Music in the Workplace – Introductory Course’ in Merthyr Tydfil.

On the course Ian developed his skills in group work and planning. He felt the sessions were well paced and easily accessible with a supportive and informative atmosphere, saying “the tutor was approachable and knowledgeable with a calm and enthusiastic manner.”

Since the course, Ian feels he has a greater understanding of what community music is and how it can inform his practice. As an Occupational Therapy student, he works in both physical and mental health settings and is now better able to work with a patient who may be interested in music in setting achievable musical goals, both long term and short-term enabling them as individuals to explore and develop in their environment. Ian has learnt from the experience of group work and now fully intends to incorporate group work into his professional practice and into his volunteering work, both in after school clubs and in the drug and alcohol project.

..Astudiaeth Achos gan Ian (cyfranogwr)

Mae Ian wedi bod yn arweinydd gwirfoddol mewn clwb ar ôl ysgol ers deng mlynedd ac mae hefyd yn gwirfoddoli mewn prosiect cyffuriau ac alcohol. Mae'n gitarydd profiadol sydd wedi chwarae mewn sawl band proffesiynol ac fe wnaeth ei ddiddordeb mewn defnyddio cerddoriaeth fel gweithgaredd gyda phobl ifanc ei arwain at brofiad gwaith yn cysgodi therapydd cerddoriaeth. Ar hyn o bryd mae'n gwneud gradd yn rhan-amser mewn Therapi Galwedigaethol.

Aeth Ian ar y cwrs ‘Cerddoriaeth Gymunedol yn y Gweithle – Cwrs Cyflwyniadol’ ym Merthyr Tudful.

Ar y cwrs datblygodd Ian ei sgiliau gwaith grŵp a chynllunio. Roedd yn teimlo fod y sesiynau ar gyflymder addas ac yn hwylus a hygyrch a bod yr awyrgylch yn un gefnogol ac addysgiadol, ac meddai “roedd yn hawdd siarad â’r tiwtor, roedd yn wybodus a chanddo dull tawel a brwdfrydig o weithio.”

Ers y cwrs, mae Ian yn teimlo fod ganddo well dealltwriaeth o’r hyn yw cerddoriaeth gymunedol a sut y gall gyfarwyddo ei ymarfer. Fel myfyriwr Therapi Galwedigaethol, mae'n gweithio mewn lleoliadau iechyd corfforol a meddyliol ac erbyn hyn mae’n gallu gweithio'n well gyda chleifion a allai fod â diddordeb mewn cerddoriaeth, drwy osod targedau cerddorol cyraeddadwy, yn y tymor hir a'r tymor byr. Mae hyn yn eu galluogi fel unigolion i archwilio a datblygu yn eu hamgylchedd. Mae Ian wedi dysgu o’r profiad gwaith grŵp a gafodd ac mae bellach yn benderfynol o gynnwys gwaith grŵp yn ei ymarfer proffesiynol ac yn ei waith gwirfoddoli, mewn clybiau ar ôl ysgol ac yn y prosiect cyffuriau ac alcohol. 

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