»Creating Room to Play«: Music therapy (research) in the homeless sector – conditions and requirements

In facilities for homeless people, music therapy services are not yet as widespread as in other areas. This is also reflected in the research landscape. In the action research project »SpielRaum schaffen« [Creating Room to Play], a music therapy programme for both residents and staff, was established in a residential facility for homeless people over a period of six months. Concurrently, the basic conditions for music therapy in the homeless sector were discussed in research workshops with (formerly) homeless people and staff from various facilities. Using open, axial, and selective coding outlined in grounded theory, it was possible to define essential topics and to explore ways of dealing with them in the course of the project. The reality of life for users of homeless facilities is characterised by their acute stress, exceptional emotional situations, short-term nature, and unpredictability. This places certain demands on a music therapy programme, such as the necessary openness, the struggle to maintain a framework and structure, an outreach concept, and a strong focus on relationships. Participatory research in this area also faces specific challenges, such as difficulty in gaining people’s trust, reaching agreement, and addressing the sensitive issue of remuneration, which is particularly critical due to the participants’ highly precarious living situations. The findings from the research project have already been applied in designing an internship for music therapy students and in drafting a broader third-party funding application.