To facilitate my career plans I have carried out both voluntary and paid work experience working in varied settings with a variety of clients. As an aspiring art therapist I have also accessed training opportunities to be better equipped to work with individuals of all needs and abilities. 

​

​

Medical Needs Sessions

November 2018  - June 2019
I am currently attending several Medical Needs Sessions at The Lawns Wood Centre and Pupil Referral Unit in Wolverhampton. The sessions are led by Consultants and Health Care Professionals from New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton. The sessions include training for Sickle Cell Anaemia, Cystic Fibrosis, and Oncology. They aim to raise awareness of the impact that certain medical conditions can have on learning and emotional well-being. This is important to understand when working with people to accommodate any disabilities and medical needs to allow all clients to access art therapy.  

​

​

Values

October 2017 - November 2019

Values is a charity in Leicester working with adults who have learning disabilities. I was able to work here in a paid and voluntary capacity both supporting group art sessions, working one on one with clients and leading group sessions.  The clients at Values have not only a variety of learning difficulties but also many complex medical needs. I handled the responsibility well and gained valuable experience in learning how to navigate challenging behaviour within this setting; aided by a variety of training sessions I attended during this placement:

•    Health and Safety
•    Challenging Situations
•    A Positive Approach To Working With People With Learning Disabilities
•    Communications
•    Autism Spectrum Disorders

​

​

BAAT Art Therapy Foundation Course

July 2018

I completed the Art Therapy Foundation Course run by the British Association of Art Therapists in Manchester. This experience was invaluable to hear first-hand from professionals working as Art therapists. They presented a realistic overview of their work, not only outlining positive experiences to be had from this line of work but also identifying the challenges you will face within the profession. Through this course I became a member of the B.A.A.T and now have monthly access to their journal  ‘Inscape` in order to keep up to date on developments within this profession.

​

​

Sunrise Care Home

August 2017 - December 2018

I volunteered to work at Sunrise Residential home for the elderly in Wolverhampton. The home includes a specialist dementia unit where residents have access to a full and varied activity programme provided for them on site. My role at Sunrise required me to demonstrate and develop good listening skills, patience, and empathy. Aside from leading group activities, often the residents just wanted someone to talk to.  I particularly enjoyed working in the dementia unit here, using art to engage and reminisce with the residents. I also completed training in:

•    Fire Safety
•    Handling and Lifting
•    Wheelchairs
•    Infection Control
•    Basic information and practical advice in working with people with dementia