A Smarter Member Platform for BAAT’s Growing Community
The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) is the professional association representing art therapists across the UK. The organisation provides professional support, training, and access to accredited therapy services for practitioners and the public.
BAAT’s previous membership website had become outdated, offering a poor experience for both members and staff. BrightMinded partnered with BAAT to modernise their digital presence, creating a seamless, self-service platform that improves usability, streamlines workflows, and supports the organisation’s mission to connect therapists with those who need them.
Challenge
BAAT faced several key challenges with their legacy system:
- Outdated website design and navigation made it difficult for members to find information
- Manual admin processes for event bookings, renewals, and member management consumed staff time
- Limited self-service functionality prevented members from fully managing their profiles or accessing resources
- Lack of integration between the CRM and website created inefficiencies
The goal was clear: provide a modern, intuitive platform that empowers both members and the BAAT team, while supporting long-term growth and improved access to therapy services.
Solution
BrightMinded delivered a comprehensive solution by building a new WordPress website and migrating BAAT from Trillium CRM to CiviCRM, fully integrated into a secure member portal called the Memberzone.
The platform allows members to:
- Book and pay for events, apply for jobs, and update personal and CPD information
- Access member-only resources and network with peers
- Search for therapists via a location-based directory
Behind the scenes, staff benefit from:
- Automated membership and payment management
- Streamlined communications and event tracking
- Reduced manual admin, freeing time for strategic initiatives
Custom CiviCRM extensions were developed to tailor registration, renewal, and benefits processes to BAAT’s unique needs, while the website was optimised for accessibility and mobile use.
Impact
The new platform transformed the member experience and organisational efficiency:
- Members can self-manage their profiles, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction
- Staff spend significantly less time on manual administration
- BAAT has seen a 10% increase in membership since launch
- High engagement on member-focused pages, with over half of visits from mobile users
“BrightMinded were very professional and easy to do business with. They had a flexible approach to the project and were able to work with our limited capacity and technology know-how.”
Gary Fereday, CEO, BAAT
The BAAT platform now offers a modern, scalable solution that connects therapists with the people who need them, streamlines internal processes, and supports the organisation’s ongoing growth and mission.
