I had considered other frontline roles in mental health but I wanted to be able to support people more holistically.
Valeria 2018 participant
I had seen how important social factors are to people’s mental health.
Tom 2018 participant
I was attracted to social work because it’s a profession where you get to spend a lot of time with a person, building up a relationship.
Hannah 2019 participant
I worked in the city as a head hunter for banks but I didn’t find this fulfilling.
Jan 2017 participant
I really enjoy mental health social work because it requires heart as well as brains.
Rebecca 2017 participant
I chose Think Ahead as it gave me the chance to have the maximum positive impact, by working in the community from the start.
Mo 2019 participant
Apply your mind to mental health
The Think Ahead programme is a new route into social work, for graduates and career-changers remarkable enough to make a real difference to people with mental health problems.
Applications are now open to join our programme in 2021
Latest news
Applications are open to join the Think Ahead programme in 2021
This page was last updated on 3 March 2021. If you are a talented graduate or career-changer, remarkable enough to make a real difference in tackling the UK’s mental health challenge, the Think Ahead programme could be for you. On our paid, two-year programme, you’ll work to build relationships with adults living with mental health problems, empowering them to lead more […]
“I saw that there was a demand for me to work in mental health” – Why we need more men in mental health social work
According to recent figures from Health Education England and a previous NHS Benchmarking Network/ADASS study, only 24% of mental health social workers in NHS Mental Health Trusts and 28% of those in Local Authorities are male. Meanwhile, 43% of respondents to the Care Quality Commission’s most recent survey of people using community mental health services […]
