Music in the mountains: creating sustainable therapy programs from short-term missions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v2i2.84Keywords:
Disability, short-term mission, sustainability, music therapyAbstract
This field report describes the experiences of a Registered Music Therapist (RMT) living, working, and musicking during a short-term health mission to Northern India. Using a sustainability approach, collaboration with several local and global health organisations resulted in the development of a therapeutic music program for children with disabilities.
Disability is a complex phenomenon, and in rural areas of India disability is viewed as a foundation for shame and exclusion. Community-based project Samvedna oversees the therapy, healthcare and education of over 100 children with a disability in remote villages, and is heavily involved in disability advocacy in the area.
Sustainable programs are more effective for individuals and communities in both the short and long term. RMTs and other health professionals can be instrumental in setting up sustainable programs, such as teaching specific skills and knowledge to local teams, provided there is thorough preparation and ongoing collaboration to determine the priorities and expectations of the program.
References
WHO: Health topics: Disability [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; c2015 [cited 2015 August 29]. Available from http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/.
Anastasiou, D. & Kauffman, J. Disability as cultural difference: Implications for special education. Remedial and Special Education. 2012;33(3): 139–149. doi: 10.1177/0741932510383163.
Rickson, D. The relevance of disability perspectives in music therapy practice with children and young people who have intellectual disability. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. 2014;14(3). doi:10.15845/voices.v14i3.784
Australian Music Therapy Association: What is Music Therapy? [Internet]. Melbourne, Australia; c2012 [cited 2015 September 20]. Available from http://www.austmta.org.au/content/what-music-therapy
Elmer, D. Cross-cultural servanthood: Serving the world with Christ-like humility. Madison, WI: InterVarsity Press; 2006.
Bolger, L. Music therapy and international development in action and reflection: A case study of a women’s music group in rural Bangladesh. Australian Journal of Music Therapy. 2012;23: 22-39.
Mahoney, E. Multicultural music therapy: An exploration. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. 2015;15(2). doi:10.15845/voices.v15i2.844
Brown, J. (2002). Towards a culturally centred music therapy practice. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. 2002;2(1). doi:10.15845/voices.v2i1.72
Swanson, R. & Thacker, B. Systems thinking in short-term health missions: A conceptual introduction and consideration of implications for practice. Christian Journal for Global Health. 2015;2(1): 7-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.15566/cjgh.v2i1.50
Bolger, L. & Skewes McFerran, K. Demonstrating sustainability in the practices of music therapists: Reflections from Bangladesh. Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy. 2013;13(2). doi:10.15845/voices.v13i2.715
The Music Therapy Trust. New Delhi, India; c2013 [cited 2015 September 18]. Available from http://www.themusictherapytrust.com/index.htm
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Christian Journal for Global Health applies the Creative Commons Attribution License to all articles that we publish. Under this license, authors retain ownership of copyright for their articles or they can transfer copyright to their institution, but authors allow anyone without permission to copy, distribute, transmit, and/or adapt articles, even for commercial purposes so long as the original authors and Christian Journal for Global Health are appropriately cited.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
40.jpg){kind=logo}
.jpg)
1.jpg)
