"BCAT has given me a great opportunity to experience music therapy work with a variety of different client groups. I have felt supported and encouraged while undertaking my supervised work and have found BCAT to be a nice, warm atmosphere in which to grow as a future music therapist. "
Carol
"My name is Carol and I am about to start my MA Music Therapy Course in September 2010. I have spent 3 months volunteering here in BCAT and I love it here! This placement has allowed me to gain tremendous insight in all the arts therapies – drama, music, dance, art and play, as well as the business side of how to run a charity!
I am very lucky to be able to shadow some of Angela’s and Dave’s music therapy work in different settings, such as special schools and rehabilitation centre, after gaining consent from the clients. The shadowing sessions were very beneficial to me because I got to observe, and sometimes I even get to take part in the therapy session.
Angela has given me opportunities to attend the music therapy experiential evenings as well as taster sessions on the other arts therapies as part of the staff training. The Brainstorm event which happens on a Wednesday at the end of every month would be the highlight of my placement! It is an event where service users would gather around to make music together in a pub and perform! You can see some of our rehearsal videos on facebook if you’re interested! "
BCAT has welcomed many students over the years and continues to do so with shadowing and placement opportunities. We have welcomed students both within the arts therapies disciplines and others with an interest in our work. In addition to the UK, we have also provided opportunties for students from training courses overseas. Many of our past students have gone on to careers within the arts therapies or have taken the knowledge gained from working with us into their respective fields.
Resources Located on the ground floor of Stratford House is our Library which holds many titles on the arts therapies that can be difficult to obtain elsewhere. Also located in the Library are PC's with Internet access and a comfortable seating area that can be used to read at your leisure. We also stock the latest arts therapies journals to read at your leisure.
At present the Library is operating on a reference only basis and only practicing arts therapists may loan books from our library. However we are endeavouring to operate a full lending/borrowing service in the very near future. If you would like to visit BCAT to make use of our facilities please contact us and we will do our very best to accommodate your needs.
Prospective Students
If you are at the beginning of your journey and would like to know more about any or all of the therapies that BCAT provide please click here for our 'What is BCAT?' leaflet which should answer your questions. If not, then please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you. Please consider also attending one of our arts therapies experiential courses which are open for anyone with an interest in the work. Click here to find out more.
If you are an arts therapies student interested in obtaining a placement with BCAT then we ask that you download and fill in our student placement form. Upon receipt, we will then forward your information on to the relevant Head of Department who will then assist you in your needs.
N.B. Availability of placement opportunities can be affected by numerous factors including obtaining permissions from clients and institutions, the number of students on placement at any one time and other factors, so please allow plenty of time in submitting your form to us. We will, however, do our very best to accommodate you.
