St. Louis Children's Hospital offers an Art Enrichment Internship (Volunteer Experience) aimed at meeting the needs of students or other individuals who are interested in pursuing a graduate degree from an accredited Art Therapy program. This hands-on experience will provide students with the opportunity to work in the hospital directly with identified patients individually and in groups. Art enrichment activities encourage artistic expression and spark the inner creative abilities that can lead to a life-long love of art. Art enrichment groups provide social opportunities for patients to interact with each other and with staff or volunteers.
Students will by supervised by the staff Art Therapist, who will identify hospitalized patients to be seen by the student. Most art enrichment opportunities will be one-on-one with individual patients. The intern will be more closely supervised at the beginning of the internship and have co-sessions with other team members and can expect to eventually lead in planning, organizing, and implementing weekly art enrichment activities to individuals and sometimes groups later in the internship. The student can expect to receive weekly supervision from the staff Art Therapist and supervision meetings will include exploration of current topics and issues through writing assignments and an art-making component.
Internship Application Process
To apply for an art enrichment internship (Volunteer Experience) through the Child Life Services Department, please send the following information:
- A cover letter stating your interest in applying for the art enrichment internship citing the specific semester you are interested in
- A current resume or CV
- Completed Art Enrichment Internship Application (download application)
- Two references letters (ex. university instructor, employer, someone who has seen you work with children or teens)
Application must be received by the deadlines stated below.
The following information is required and may be submitted online or through the postal service. Please attempt to send all online attachments in the same email if possible, however letters of reference can be sent separately by the individual directly to Julie Gant, at this email address: j[email protected] or may be mailed to:
Julie Gant, Expressive Arts Supervisor, Art Therapist
St. Louis Children's Hospital
Child Life Services Department
Mailstop 8400D
One Children's Place
St. Louis, MO 63110-1077
The Supervisor of Expressive Therapies will review all applications and those meeting criteria will be contacted regarding an interview.
Internship Application Deadlines
| Semester | Application Deadlines (received by) | Internship Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | First Friday in February | Early May – August of the concurrent year |
| Fall/Winter | First Friday in June | Early August – December of the concurrent year |
| Spring | First Friday in October | Early January of the following calendar year – May of the following calendar year |
Please note that interns must be current on immunizations, complete the Covid-19 initial vaccinations, and obtain a flu shot during flu season per BJC policy
For additional information or questions regarding our Art Enrichment Internship program (Volunteer Experience), please contact Julie Gant, ATR-BC, LPC, at ju[email protected]
