We have an exciting new opportunity for someone to join the corporate team here at Nordoff Robbins, the largest charitable provider of music therapy services in the UK. The person we are looking for is confident, enthusiastic, energetic and would like to work as part of a successful fundraising team.

The Corporate Assistant plays a vital role in developing and maintaining relationships and income streams with new and existing corporate partners. From assisting the Senior Corporate Manager with the logistical delivery of all aspects of the corporate fundraising portfolio, to individually stewarding certain corporate relationships and fundraising campaigns, the Corporate Assistant will play a crucial role in the fundraising team.

Based in the London Headquarters in Kentish Town, designed from the ground up to focus on music therapy and featuring beautiful modern music rooms, this is a truly inspiring work space that would really suit someone looking to work in a non-traditional charity environment. It is also vital that the post holder has empathy for the work Nordoff Robbins does; and is motivated by their cause, which is to transform lives through music.

If you believe you have all the requirements for this role, and you would like to join Nordoff Robbins in the position of Corporate Assistant, please contact Sandy Trappitt  sandy.trappitt@nordoff-robbins.org.uk  immediately. The position closes on 17 January, with interviews being held week commencing 22 January 2018.

Download the job description

Music therapy meant June was no longer defined by her Dementia, but by everything that made her the person that she used to be...

June had an eventful and colorful life. An evacuee during the war having to flee her home in London, she went on to become a professional cabaret singer and model in her 20’s. A keen dancer , June studied Flamenco dancing and this love for dance lasted for 27 years; June would take to the stage, castanets in hand and dance the fandango with passion.

In Spring of 2015, June’s life was hit with a bombshell; she began showing signs of Dementia. The effects of the illness slowed all aspects of her life. She heard music everywhere; on the bus, in the doctors surgery, day and night which became distressing. This was coupled with constant falls which led her to being admitted into a rehab centre for three months. By now she needed daily care and was move to a residential home in Yorkshire to be near her family in 2016.

June would often wander about the home and come and sit in the lounge, carrying her bag, which had contained her beloved castanets. Staff would ask her to play and June would claim that she was unable and that she was “no good” anymore.

During a spontaneous music therapy session in the lounge, June took a seat and began untying the strings of her castanets, and re-tying them – the very instruments she once used to play with flair.  She declined the opportunity to play when staff asked her, but the Nordoff Robbins music therapist Alison spotted June and moved over to her, playing a lively Spanish melody on her flute.

At first June sat quietly, but as Alison continued to improvise with her, June soon found a flow and started playing in time. As the music developed with a dance-like feel, June became bold, confident and completely immersed in the moment, just as she had all those years ago. The energy and drama was clear to see and as the music came to climatic close, June was applauded and cheered.

Later, as June walked to lunch, she remarked to Alison, “I played better today – something happened and I could just play”.

In that moment music therapy had given June an opportunity to step back into the ‘present’, connecting her with her past experiences and identity – In that session June was no longer defined by her Dementia, but by everything that made her the person that she used to be. 

crop-for-june-story-2.png

A Nordoff Robbins music therapy session at a memory clinic in London. 

We are delighted to announce today that Nordoff Robbins is one of The O2's three charities of choice for 2018.

Along with the BRIT School and mental health research charity MQ, Nordoff Robbins is looking forward to support from The O2 including fundraising, awareness raising and volunteers.

John Langford, VP and General Manager of The O2 said: “ Music is at the heart of our organisation so we are proud to be working with The BRIT School and Nordoff Robbins which are charities close to our hearts.”

“AEG recently supported World Mental Health Day to increase awareness of mental health amongst the business which led to an overwhelming vote from staff to have a mental health charity as our third chosen charity. We are delighted to have the opportunity to support MQ in 2018.”

Nordoff Robbins Chief Executive Julie Whelan said: “We are absolutely delighted to be a chosen charity of The O2 for 2018. At Nordoff Robbins we are committed to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people through the skilled use of music, and the support will be truly invaluable. Everything we raise through it will go towards supporting our life-changing work, helping us to reach even more people through music therapy. On behalf of everyone at Nordoff Robbins I would like to extend our warmest thanks to The O2, and we look forward to working closely with them in the year ahead."

Thanks to body-percussionists STOMP and the Nordoff Robbins choir  (pictured), who joined us up at The O2 to celebrate being Charity of Choice for 2018. 

The deadline is approaching to join the Nordoff Robbins Masters of Music Therapy courses running in London and Newcastle from September 2018.

(Newcastle intake is subject to validation from the HCPC and validation from Goldsmiths University)

ABOUT THE COURSE

The Master of Music Therapy (Nordoff Robbins): Music, Health, Society is an internationally renowned Masters level programme, validated by Goldsmiths, University of London. 

Successful completion of this two-year course gives you eligibility to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as a music therapist, the UK legal prerequisite for working in the profession. If you’re passionate about what music and music-making can achieve, download our  prospectus and a look at the FAQs to find out more.

More on our Masters Pages here

Testimonials

Louise Gregg - Manchester MMT Graduate 2017

The centrality of music and people within the Nordoff Robbins approach is what made the MMT the right choice for me. The course was practical, thorough, robust, challenging and fulfilling at every turn, with music as the constant central point. Having placements from the outset was so beneficial, as we could put everything we learned into real life contexts. Similarly, the weekly supervisions were excellent for coaching on specific moments from placement. Learning with and from the rest of the cohort was such a privilege, and valuable beyond words.

In addition to all of that, the greatest strength of the programme is the tutors; they are highly skilled, and so insightful and committed to figuring out each student, to draw out their strengths. I have gone on a long process and grown so much over the two years, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that without the tutors on the course. At the end of the program I felt fully equipped to apply for the graduate employment scheme with Nordoff Robbins, and am now excited to be working four days a week as part of the Nordoff Robbins family.
 

Oliver Kluczewski - London MMT Graduate 2015

I took a professional side step and left the world of arts venues and music festivals to train as a music therapist. I wanted to work with people directly through music, and was attracted to the Nordoff Robbins approach – celebrating a person’s potential, regardless of the challenges they may face. The training course lets you take musical leaps of the imagination, and experience music making like you never have before. You are on placement from the first week, working alongside professional music therapists, and musical immersion runs right through the training.

There is such a high standard of delivery and care for the work at Nordoff Robbins, and the tutors really want the best for you. One of the great things about the training, work and culture of music therapy is a sense of constant wonder and exploration. We are always learning and always developing our craft with the singular aim of being the best we can for the people we represent. I applied for the Graduate Scheme towards the end of my training, and I now work full time as a music therapist in a variety of settings.

Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant

Part Time: 3 days per week

Salary: £12,396 including London Weighting (FTE £19,160 plus £1,500 London Weighting)

Location: London

The research team at Nordoff Robbins are looking for a Monitoring and Evaluation Assistant, at the London Centre, to contribute to service evaluation and impact assessment activities. 

We are looking for a person who is excited to:

• co-ordinate short term evaluation projects, (which includes communicating directly with our music therapists),
• collate numeric and text data
• explore engaging representations of data
• create reports for different purposes.

Successful applicants will display the following essential characteristics:

• attention to detail in project planning and data analysis
• experience with numeric data and spread sheets
• well organised and personable.

We are looking for a person who enjoys working in a small team and collaborating generously with colleagues. We are open to candidates interested working 3 full days or 2 half days and 2 full days.

To apply for the role, please submit your CV and a Cover Letter clearly stating how you meet the Person Specifications for this role (as well as where you heard about this role) to hr@nordoff-robbins.org.uk.

Download the Job Description here

Closing date for completed applications is 5.00pm Monday 29th January 2018.

CHARLIE HODGSON, former Sale, Sharks and Saracens star, was last night honoured at the 23rdSix Nations Rugby Dinner at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Wednesday 17th January 2018, raising funds for Nordoff Robbins.

The event was attended by a scrum of rugby stars including Craig Chalmers, Lawrence Dallaglio, Danny Care, Ben Foden, Nick Easter and Ben Clarke amongst many others, as well as TV presenters Denise Van Outen, Love Island’s Olivia Buckland, Alex Bowen, Gabby Allen, Marcel Somerville, Amber Davies, Made In Chelsea favourite Sam Thompson, Imogen Thomas, and model and TV presenter Olivia Cox.

Images can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/2FGcpDl

This year’s dinner, which was held together with O2 and with the support of Deezer, was hosted by former England and Bath prof David Flatman, and featured performances by Spandau Ballet’sTony Hadley and indie rock stars The Academic.
 

Of his accolade, Charlie Hodgson said: ‘I visited the Nordoff Robbins centre and it is was a real priveledge to visit. I have children myself and it had a real humbling effect on me and to see the positive way this charity can help children’s lives. It was a really special day for me, it’s a fantastic charity and I sincerely hope you get behind this...

The music therapy was just such an enlightening thing to see and be a part of. You could just see the benefit the kids were getting- by the end of the session you could see the impact it had on them.”

A film of Charlie's visit to our Kentish Town Centre can be seen here:

Last year, the event honoured player Chris Robshaw, and money raised last night will contribute to the £1.5 million raised to date for Nordoff Robbins since the event launched.

As the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK, we respond to today’s report on a study conducted by the International Longevity Centre thinktank and the Utley Foundation calling for more funding for music therapy in dementia care.

The study, which shows that music therapy can help people with dementia to recall information and reduce symptoms associated with the illness, also warned that only 5% of care homes are using music therapy effectively. The commission also called for the NHS to promote music therapy through personal health budgets and integrated personal budgets – a measure which Nordoff Robbins believes would be invaluable.

Nordoff Robbins works in care homes, memory clinics and centres around the country helping people with dementia to live well through the specialist use music. Music therapy can take many forms, including individual and group sessions, using improvised and well-known music and a variety of instruments. In these situations, music can help ease anxiety, unlock memories, and help individuals regain their sense of identity, creating a profound feeling of being connected and in the present - something so valuable to people living with dementia, their family and friends.

Dr Simon Procter, Director of Music Services at Nordoff Robbins says:

“It’s great to see this report come out from the Commission on Dementia and Music, whose findings closely match our own experience. Music is not just a stimulus or an intervention, it is part and parcel of who we are, of our lives and of our identities as people. It makes perfect sense that at a time when our sense of who we are is being threatened by the onset of dementia, the everyday use of music (especially when shared with families and friends) can be an invaluable anchor for people whose lives are being disrupted. It also makes sense that as dementia progresses, people will need more tailored, personalised support and this work requires specialist training.”

Earlier studies have shown that a significant number of people with dementia still retain the ability to connect with music, making music therapy a highly effective and beneficial support tool, and Nordoff Robbins’ work has further shown that music can help ease anxiety, unlock memories, and help individuals regain their sense of identity, creating a profound feeling of being connected and in the present.

In response to the areas of the study highlighting the lack of effective music therapy practices in care homes, Simon adds:

“We would like to emphasise the need for skilled work across the board in this area. What we need are skilled musicians who have a good practical understanding of what music making has to offer people in their own life situations, who are trained to facilitate musical interaction in all its possible forms – including choirs, communal music-making opportunities, music appreciation groups and music therapy.”

Nordoff Robbins runs a two-year full-time Master of Music Therapy training programme for musicians wishing to become music therapists (validated by Goldsmiths, University of London, and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council). Firmly focused on the development of skilled practice, this prepares musicians who want to do this challenging work to interact with people in ways which consistently improve the quality of their lives.

June, whose husband Eddie received Nordoff Robbins music therapy to support him with dementia says:

“Before my eyes, Eddie started disappearing. He could no longer enjoy all the things we used to do, and we couldn’t fulfil all the plans we had made. But when music therapy came into Eddie’s life, his world lit up again. In the music, Eddie finds himself again and the drummer in Eddie shines through. To Nordoff Robbins, we are so grateful, because in these moments of music, Eddie is transformed and I get my husband back.”

Dr Mike Devine, consultant Psychiatrist at NELFT Older Adult Mental Health Team and Memory Service, where Nordoff Robbins deliver music therapy, adds:

“Dementia is far more than just a cognitive disorder, it affects the whole person. We need interventions that really highlight what people can contribute, on a social and creative level, and music therapy is ideal in that regard.”

“Music isn’t a luxury, or an add-on extra,” Simon adds, “it’s an intrinsic part of being human and as such we must seek to make sure that everyone with dementia has access to music services that are appropriate for their needs.”

For more information:

Contact: Tanya Gerreli, Nordoff Robbins Communications Manager

Tanya.gerreli@nordoff-robbins.org.uk / 0207 428 2754

About Nordoff Robbins

Nordoff Robbins is the largest independent music therapy charity in the UK, dedicated to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people.

We support thousands of people in our own centres and by working in partnership with a wide range of organisations including care homes, schools and hospitals.

When delivered by a trained practitioner, music therapy can be used to support people living with a wide range of needs. It can help a child with autism to communicate, reduce anxiety for those living with dementia or provide comfort and celebrate the life of someone facing terminal illness.

Music therapy can be life-changing for so many people.

The Nordoff Robbins Charity Cup is here!

We’d love you to join us on 16 May at Selhurst Park, the home of Crystal Palace FC, for an epic 6-a-side football tournament - all to raise money for Nordoff Robbins.

We have some awesome incentives for you to take part:

• Play on a Premier League football ground
   
• Use of official changing rooms
   
• Post tournament prize-giving in the players lounge
   
• Complimentary team jerseys
   
• Post-match tunnel interviews
   
• 11-a-side final on Selhurst Park's full pitch
   
• Great prizes, including tickets to the exclusive Legends of Football Awards in October 2018.

Interested? 

Here’s what we want you to do…….

1. Recruit your team

• Find the superstar strikers and lionhearted defenders from your office or friends and enter your squad.
• The tournament is 6-a-side, but the final will be played as a 11 a side match on the full pitch - so make sure your squad is full!
• Following the final there will be prize-giving and drinks and the player's lounge, with a special award for 'Player of the Tournament' 

2. Enter your team by 28 February 2018

• There is a £200 registration fee to secure your team’s place. You'll need to pay this to hold your team's place in the tournament.
• It's first come first serve and there's only 12 team places - so move fast on this!
• Once registered we'll send your registration pack - with further details and lots of support on fundraising.

3. Set up your fundraising page and start raising money.

• Your fundraising will be helping Nordoff Robbins to change the lives of people facing unimaginable challenges.
• We are asking each team to raise a minimum £2,300 collectively - for full squads that's less that £20 per player per week - so we know you can do it! 
• There's lots of ways to go about it - you'll have a team Just Giving page so you can run fundraising activities, or if you're from a company you could try asking the boss nicely to match your fundraising efforts. 
• We'll be on hard to help you with this, and there'll be a great prize for the tea, that raises the most cash!!

4. Get match Fit!!

We can help you with top tips and ideas for this. (e.g. stop eating PIES!!!)

ON A serious note...

We depend entirely on the support of people like you to make our work possible. Thanks to that support we are able to support thousands of people in our own centres and by working in partnership with a wide range of organisations including
care homes, schools and hospitals. When delivered by a trained practitioner, music therapy can be used to support people living with a wide range of needs. It can help a child with autism to communicate, reduce anxiety for those living with dementia or provide comfort and celebrate the life of someone facing terminal illness.

All of the money you raise as part of the Nordoff Robbins cup will go to supporting people like Ed:

HR MANAGER OPPORTUNITY

We are a dynamic, ambitious and growing charity with around 90 employees and income in the region of £5.3m per annum.

Our growth plans mean that we are looking for a technically competent, “hands on” HR Manager to lead the development of our HR function. You should be a highly motivated professional, able to work at pace in a changing environment. The charity is about to embark on the next stage of growth so this is a chance for someone to formulate ideas and make a difference rather than simply maintaining the status quo. In addition, you will support the leadership team in developing more imaginative approaches to developing our culture, values based performance management and employee engagement.

A positive solution-focussed attitude is essential, whilst strong planning skills coupled with the ability to multi task and see projects through to completion will be crucial to success in the role. You must have a strong grasp of HR principles and be completely up to date with relevant employment legislation and regulations.

Supporting the delivery of the charity’s strategic Goals, you will be a collaborative team player, reporting to the Director of Finance & Operations and managing a part-time HR Officer. You will be working with colleagues who believe passionately in the power of music and the difference our therapists make to peoples' lives daily.

You will be a key member of the wider senior management team devising strategies and the people agenda to help us meet our strategic goals. Nordoff Robbins has undergone significant transformation over the past two years and you will be critical in leading and developing our next stage of organisation development (enabling people, systems and processes) including strong communication and learning and development initiatives.

You will manage day to day HR operations, including payroll and pensions, whilst also taking the lead in identifying and implementing improvements to our HR systems and processes to reflect best practise and legal requirements. Colleague engagement will be a key priority and you will have the opportunity to have a significant impact in this area.

You will be joining the charity at a pivotal time in its strategic development and will benefit from working with great colleagues who know that their work is making a difference to so many vulnerable and isolated people. Other benefits include a generous salary and contributory pension scheme plus 31 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays.

This is a full-time post but consideration will be made to accommodate a flexible working request at 4 days per week (0.8 FTE with a pro-rated salary).

TO APPLY

Along with your CV, please include a covering letter no longer than 2 sides of A4 which clearly sets out how you meet the criteria in the person specification.

All competed applications should be forwarded to HR@nordoff-robbins.org.uk by no later than 31 January 2018. 

First interviews will take place week commencing 5 February 2018.

The ability of music to deeply transform and enrich people’s lives is widely known, but not always well understood.

The Research Team here at Nordoff Robbins works hard to build and develop that understanding, conducting research into the specific benefits and powerful impacts of music therapists who work everyday with the most vulnerable and isolated members of society, and also ensuring that our music therapy theory and best practice are based on the latest and best evidence about how music can affect people's lives.

Members of the Research Team bring expertise from a wide range of music-related research into their work—including music in relation to pregnancy and mental health, social work, psychology and movement, as well as conflict and violence.

Now, a book by Nordoff Robbins researcher Owen Coggins (published today with respected publisher Bloomsbury Academic) has been described as 'innovative', 'fresh and inspiring' and a 'landmark achievement' by leading scholars in the field.

We hear from Owen:

Before starting work at Nordoff Robbins in 2016, my research explored the connections between musical experience, and the sounds, symbols and imagery associated with religion that people sometimes use in talking about and understanding their responses to music. The research focused on a particularly extreme subgenre of heavy metal music, drone metal, which hadn’t been extensively studied before. I conducted a large amount of participant observation fieldwork, which meant going to lots of concerts and music festivals, talking to people about music, observing how people responded, and, just as importantly, listening to lots of great music myself! I also conducted surveys which collected more than 300 responses, interviewed 74 listeners in detail about the themes of the research, and compiled thousands of reviews and other discussions of the music online. The analysis of all this research resulted in my PhD thesis, which I completed in 2015, and I then adapted this to present the findings to a broader audience in my book, Mysticism, Ritual and Religion in Drone Metal which is now published.

The book explores the ways listeners participate in music cultures and how this in turn informs their musical experiences, specifically focusing on how they respond to and construct ideas about mysticism, ritual and religion in their engagement with this kind of music. I also discovered during the research a broader connection with ideas that relate to music therapy. Listeners describing their responses to music and their uses of it in their lives evoked the really transformative powers of music, which invited ways of understanding this powerful potential that was less about what the musicians may have “meant” and more about the impact of a shared musical engagement. And in this I found loud echoes of the Nordoff Robbins research tradition and approach to music therapy, which is always music-centred--that is, it focuses on the positive effects on all participants in a shared musical space. In addition, this topic connected closely with the theme of the recent international conference held by Nordoff Robbins at the London Centre in December, which brought researchers all over the world to discuss the topic “Exploring the Spiritual in Music” in relation to music therapy and education.

More details about the book and ordering information can be found here

We are delighted to announce that, this year's recipient of the Nordoff Robbins Legends of Football Award will be former West Ham United, Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard.

Frank's glittering career has seen three league titles, 609 top-flight appearances and 177 goals, and he is rightly recognised as one of the all-time great Premier League players.

He will join Sir Stanley Matthews, Sir Bobby Robson, Kenny Dalglish and last year's recipient Steven Gerrardin receiving one of football's greatest honours.

Lampard said:

"It's a real honour for me to receive the Legends of Football award this year,"

"Just seeing my name mentioned among those past winners is something to cherish."

And speaking specifically about Nordoff Robbins, Frank said in an interview on Friday with TalkSPORT's Paul Hawksbee and Andy Jacobs

"It's a special charity working on incredible stuff. There's a lot of care involved and music therapy covers so many areas, it's a pleasure to be involved."

In marking Lampard's achievements, the Legends of Football evening, held in partnership with the Premier League, will raise funds for Nordoff Robbins.

Premier League Executive Chairman, Richard Scudamore said:

"Legends of Football is a fantastic event that combines the power and popularity of the Premier League and the music world to support the crucial work of Nordoff Robbins.

"This year we look forward to celebrating the career of Frank Lampard, who had a remarkable playing career and is a Premier League icon.

"His professionalism on and off the pitch makes him a great role model for young people and his support for this year's Legends of Football promises to make it a very special event."

Nordoff Robbins CEO, Julie Whelan, said:

"Events like the Legends of Football are vital to us as a charity," said Julie Whelan, CEO of Nordoff Robbins. Nordoff Robbins receive no government funding and we rely on the generosity of our supporters to keep our services going. We thank everyone involved in this event for their hard work and dedication and a big thank you to all who attend - every penny raised goes directly towards our music therapy delivery, helping us to change more lives through music."

Legends of Football will celebrate the career of Frank Lampard on 8 October at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

This Pancake Day, head to King’s Cross where you can take part in the very first ever Granary Square Brasserie Pancake Day race - All in aid of Nordoff Robbins!

You are invited to run around the pancake flipping course in Granary Square - and as an additional warming treat, hot chocolate will be served to race participants and spectators alike. 

It costs £10 to take part, with the proceeds from this going to support our incredible music therapy work. 

The prizes

The fastest team or individual around the course will win the coveted Nordoff Robbins Pancake Race trophy and dinner (up to £250) at Granary Square Brasserie.

1st runner-up will win lunch (up to £100) and 2nd runner-up will win breakfast (up to £85), both at Granary Square Brasserie.

How to enter

Email pancakeday@granarysquarebrasserie.com with your team name, company name if appropriate and the names of your team members. £10 fee will be taken on the day and donated to Nordoff Robbins, the leading independent music therapy charity in the UK, dedicated to changing the lives of vulnerable and isolated people.

Races will take place in Granary Square between 12 pm and 2 pm on 13th February 2018.

nordoff robbins Chief Executive, Julie Whelan, writes on our support of Children's Mental Health Week:

We are delighted to support Children’s Mental Health Week, running this 5 – 11 February, to raise awareness of children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. At Nordoff Robbins everything we do is about people and music, and we are passionate about using our music therapy to help children and young people across the UK.

Organised by leading children’s mental health charity Place2Be, this week calls for people to come together and encourage children, young people and adults to celebrate their uniqueness. Their campaign hashtag highlights the importance of #BeingOurselves – a sentiment shared by all of us at Nordoff Robbins, where our music-centred approach supports, and focuses on, the unique individuality of our beneficiaries.

We know the value of our music therapy to those living with mental health issues – whatever their age. But, we also understand how particularly difficult it can be for children and young people who are still growing, and on the important journey of self-discovery and identity. Experiencing a mental health issue can be very isolating and can affect a young person’s personality, and their ability to communicate and interact – but through music, our therapists are able to help students build their self-esteem, build their confidence, and establish meaningful connections.

At Nordoff Robbins, we’re passionate about the benefits music therapy can have for mental health and wellbeing, and we’re demonstrating this though adding to current research on music therapy in schools and educational settings. Our existing research, where we spoke to pupils, staff and family members, shows very encouraging results – with 87% saying music therapy had a positive impact on their quality of life and wellbeing, and 91% saying music therapy had boosted their interaction and communication. As an organisation we are committed to ongoing research, and in January of this year launched further study into the benefits of music therapy for both mainstream and special education needs schools. 

In November 2017, Nordoff Robbins took the further step of highlighting the importance of the power of music for mental health, by holding a parliamentary roundtable supported by the BPI. Together, we explored how mental health issues can be very isolating, but how music and music therapy can have a positive impact, alleviating associated issues such as anxiety and lack of social interaction. We also addressed the issue of the increasingly complex state of health and care commissioning, how this will be a potential challenge for music therapy provision – and what broader personal, cultural and social dimensions could be made available to support mental health and wellbeing.

We came away with a strong sense that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the benefits of music therapy, to ensure that it can be properly funded, especially in education settings. Research is crucial in building this case, so that we can evidence the power of music in a mental health context and influence commissioners and policy-makers – and that is where we will be placing real emphasis. Later this summer we will be publishing our very first policy paper outlining our position on this important issue. 

As a charity, we have a voice, and we want to share ours for those who don’t. In the spirit of Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, by #BeingOurselves we can do our very best to safeguard the future of music therapy provision for years to come – and we are so excited to be on that journey with the support of the BPI.

Nordoff Robbins South West & South Wales covers a wide geographical area from Cornwall in the west, over to south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the east, and up to South Wales, Worcestershire and Herefordshire in the north. It is nevertheless a currently ‘small’ NR region with a total of 5 music therapists working for NR! Our services were originally developed in this area some years ago by Rachel Millman and Alison Hornblower, and our presence was re-ignited in September 2016 with the relocation of Fraser Simpson (who now oversees the regional service) to Hampshire, and Jo Humphreys to Swansea, who began providing services under a new partnership between NR and ABMU Health Board.

Our delivery in the region is concentrated at present in two main areas. On the south coast we have 3 therapists – Fraser Simpson, Alison Hughes and Anna Tyrrell – working in Bournemouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight; and in south Wales we have 2 therapists – Jo Humphreys and Lucie Phillips – working across a wide area from Llanelli in the west to Merthyr Tydfil in the east, encompassing the urban areas of Swansea, Port Talbot and Bridgend.

Between us we are providing 19 days of music therapy per week, working across a wide variety of settings including special and mainstream schools, hospital oncology, day centres, care homes, rehab centres and hospices. We are pioneering several new initiatives including a new service for looked after children in collaboration with Southampton Music Hub, and in Bournemouth working with a refugee charity. In South Wales we have established a partnership with ABMU Health Board enabling us to provide services to people in a range of settings, and we have a direct referral service in Swansea. Through our partnership with CLIC Sargent we are providing a service to children with life threatening conditions at Southampton Hospital, and at Earl Mountbatten Hospice on the Isle of Wight, where Nigel Hartley is now the CEO, we have a two day/week project successfully established.

Nordoff Robbins would like in time to develop a presence across a wider expanse of the south west region and we would be very interested to hear from any NR graduates in the south west who might be interested in working for us.

Dear colleagues and friends,

I hope you are having a lovely and restful Christmas break with family and friends. I have been following the NR’s news on social media and it’s been great to hear about the excellent work you keep developing.

After being in India for four months, I would love to share an update of some of my experience so far.

As for my life here, it’s very interesting to live and work in India. It’s a kind of complex mixture of contrasts. Experiences can be quite extreme and all my senses are very stimulated. As you probably know, you can find stunning temples, people wearing colourful and exuberant dresses (especially in weddings), puja rituals, tasty spicy food, fascinating classical Indian music and dance full of details, etc… but what really fascinates me is how welcoming and easy to approach Indians can be. I have met many people in all sorts of events. In my trip to Thachi, a little town in the Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh, I even played with local musicians who never came across a western musician! On another day, I went past a market in Delhi where they had a very colourful kind of stage with figures of Hindu Gods. I asked someone what was happening there and I ended up playing my flute in a puja ritual with great percussionists, singers and a keyboard player. This felt like a big public party where people danced, clapped along and sang back in a kind of reply to the singers. Obviously, traditional music is so exotic and attractive that I couldn’t resist playing!

Although it is fascinating to be here, I also need to be extremely patient as many things can be quite slow, tedious and sometimes not the most efficient. However, I believe I am developing my sense of patience.

Music therapy is very welcomed here, some people that I encountered don’t even question the benefits of it but their understanding does not exactly match mine. Traditionally, it is believed that receptive music can have a positive effect on the chakras of the body promoting physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Therefore, a crucial part of the work we do is to show and explain our understanding of music therapy stressing the importance of interactive music-making.

Work is especially interesting because of cultural aspects, it affects everything from the smallest musical interactions to the way we deal with people at an organisational level. Making music in this context keeps me on my toes as I frequently find myself in new musical ‘lands’, my clients take me to discover new styles or ways of using western musical norms and forms. I also feel I am in a new territory when trying to fit music therapy into their thinking, for example in education. From what I’ve observed so far, there seem to be a tendency towards a behavioural approach, and sometimes giving freedom for exploring creativity or expression in music therapy can be seen as contradictory if we don’t communicate about our work properly.

I leave a link to the blog where we post some information of the work we do in India: http://themusictherapytrust.com/blog/

I am planning to come back to the UK once I finish my current projects. It would be great to see you again soon.

I wish the New Year brings peace and happiness to all of you,

Jose Alor

We’re committed to championing the work of the music therapy profession as a whole through our public policy programme.

If you’d like to find out more about the work we’re doing in this area, including our policy positions, work with MPs and roundtable series with the BPI, then sign up to our Policy Forum for the latest news.

We may also draw on your music or music therapy expertise, and seek your input on policy positions and priority areas.

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We all know a song that lifts us up and makes us feel good, but music is also a powerful therapeutic tool that can reach deep inside us and transform lives

A recent article published in The Telegraph explores the impact that Nordoff Robbins music therapy had on Elizabeth, who suffers from severe depression and anxiety alongside dysphasia and autism.

We are delighted to share it here

SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN THE 1970S, Nordoff Robbins have helped thousands of people of all ages around the UK to wellness - through music therapy

A recent article, published by The Telegraph to coincide with the Brits 2018, takes us through a day in the life of one of our amazing music therapists - Emily Grimes.

We are delighted to share it here

Music therapy has the ability to reach even the most vulnerable and isolated people – and this couldn’t be more apparent than in the instances of our work in Neuro-Rehabilitation settings.

Julia is one of our trained Nordoff Robbins music therapists, and she works in a neurological rehab centre in the North West of England, delivering music therapy to support the care plans for those who access their services. The sound of her music with the residents often carries around the corridors from her room, or is shared with residents and staff in the communal spaces. Music has become a fixture at the centre, and Julia is now very much part of the furniture.

One such resident at the centre is Steve* - he was in an accident about five years ago, sustaining significant injuries which have left him ‘locked in’, with movement limited to only his eye and mouth. Julia first worked with him as a student while on the Nordoff Robbins Master of Music Therapy programme, and has had the fortune of making music with Steve for some time now. It was in music therapy that Steve made his first vocal sound since his accident, a moment which meant so much to his family.

Today, when Julia approaches Steve to collect him for his session his eyes are fixed on the TV, but as soon as she steps into his eye line, a smile spreads across his face as she asks him “shall we make music?”

Steve’s injuries mean that what he can physically offer in music may be limited, but that doesn’t matter, because our approach focuses solely on what a person can do, not what they can’t. We consider all contributions as meaningful, and what Steve has to offer is a valuable response in his breathing.

Julia has learnt that he likes loud drum sounds, and so builds this into their sessions. Julia carefully builds the volume with each purposeful drum beat, led by Steve’s increasingly strong breathing pattern. He smiles and maintains eye contact with Julia – the louder the beat, the bigger his response is – he makes long vocal sounds which forms a musical conversation between them.

When the drum beat reaches a peak, Steve takes a big, deep, purposeful breath, and the session draws to a close. 

In this moment, in these seemingly small ‘details’, is communication and an opportunity for Steve to be expressive.  For Nordoff Robbins, it is all about the detail, because in the detail, people are heard.

*Name has been changed for confidentiality purposes

NORDOFF ROBBINS SUMMER SCHOOL 2018 - 'key aspects of the nordoff robbins approach'

Dates: Mon 23 July - Thurs 26 July 2018
Location: Nordoff Robbins London Centre, 2 Lissenden Gardens, London NW5 1PQ
Cost: £300

This year’s Nordoff Robbins Summer School will run from Monday 23 to Thursday 26 July 2018 at our London Centre. The Summer School is an international event for qualified music therapists from the UK and abroad and will focus on key aspects of the Nordoff Robbins approach. It will offer an opportunity to meet with colleagues from other countries, receive input from tutors and staff of the Nordoff Robbins education and research teams and share work. Tutors include teaching staff on the Nordoff Robbins MMT programme and experienced Nordoff Robbins music therapists and researchers.

Priority will be given to applicants from overseas. The course language is English.

Applicants to the Summer school should normally: 

1. Be qualified music therapists in their home country
2. Have undertaken the equivalent of at least 2 years FT study in music therapy at graduate or postgraduate level
3. Have the equivalent of at least one year’s post-qualifying experience as a practising music therapist
4. Be currently working as a music therapist

Applicants who do not meet these criteria are encouraged to contact the course organisers to discuss their situation. Please email: education@nordoff-robbins.org.uk

The Summer School will include:

• Practical workshops in musical techniques and awareness 
• Sharing and discussion of participants’ own music therapy work (for which participants will need to bring recent recordings of their work)
• Seminars discussing current developments in Nordoff Robbins music therapy and principles underlying the approach 
• Input on monitoring and evaluation techniques

For more details about the course and how to book, please see our Summer School leaflet and application form