Art Therapy..help with portfolio

[Chchchangess]

Hello everyone

I'm preparing to apply for my Masters in Art Therapy (based in the UK if that matters). I've accrued a couple of months worth of experience, working for charities which help vulnerable people.

I need to accrue more experience, and I would like to do so perhaps with a qualified art therapist, or working with children or vulnerable adults in an art setting.

Do I need a portfolio to send with my applications? If so can anyone recommend a website I can use to create one? I've heard Canva is quite good. Any tips on how to present them, and how to choose which images to use would be so helpful. I've googled it lots but I find the art of conversation invaluable, so here I am!

Thanks in advance for any replies 🤗

Check out YouTube - University of Hertfordshire has a short video about what they are looking for in a portfolio for their Art Therapy Masters (sorry I don't know how to add a link). There are probably others.
Each will have their own requirements and how they want it presented. UH, for example, says to use something like Flicker, and you would provide a link on your application.
The assumption seems to be that you are an art maker and they want to see your relationship with your art and process. A broad range of materials and subject is desirable, but refer to each university website for guidance.

Thank you very much for this info - it is useful to know for the university application I will be doing (hopefully) next year.

What I am referring to is applying for volunteer or work experience (I need at least a year's work experience before applying for the Masters)

I see - sorry I didn't under that from your post. Can't help you there I'm afraid, though again, YouTube has a lot of 'how i became an art therapist', but maybe you've already clocked those.

I've just been looking at similar courses today. I have an art based degree from decades ago but wondered about the equivalent to 1500 hours work experience.

Yes I wondered about that too, and have been trying to speak to someone at the university (no luck so I've emailed). I did a couple of months volunteering at a poverty stricken orphanage in Africa, but that was like 15 years ago. And I have some school TA experience but that was 10 years ago. I have no idea how to count the hours and I don't even know if I can prove I did it??

If you don’t have it then surely seeking out volunteering opportunities or suitable allied work would be be necessary?

Poverty stricken orphanage?

Please don’t write that on your application form.

My experience is quite ancient, I am now 53 and did the Art Therapy postgraduate course at Goldsmiths from 2000 to 2002. I did work as an Art Therapist for a while pre children after the course. I had previously been a secondary school Art teacher but understand at the time a year's relevant work experience in an education or social care type field was required before applying for the course. My portfolio was a mix of work from my degree in illustration, students' work from when I was teaching and more recent personal art work. Some people without art backgrounds just had portfolios of their own artwork. I don't remember work experience with an art Therapist being required, in fact I would be quite surprised if sessions would permit someone not qualified or in training to participate. But this was obviously over 20 years ago and I am out of touch with the profession, so I would look at BAAT for more information. It was an amazing course though, good luck.

To count the number of hours. you need to calculate working hours of your relevant job on paper. for example 7 hrs/ day and 5 days a week = 35 hrs a week so 140 hrs a month. now multiple 140 hrs with the amount of months experience you have.