Our services
People with mental health needs will only thrive if the workforce supporting them is thriving.
Experts in workforce planning, we support organisations to design workforce solutions, with a particular focus on recruitment, training and development.
We can provide:
- Attraction and marketing strategies for targeted recruitment campaigns.
- Strategies to increase diversity, through event planning and marketing.
- Bespoke advice on retention and working culture.
- Training and skills development on a range of mental health topics, particularly around the social approach.
- Consultancy support to spot workforce challenges and provide mitigation plans.
- Tailor made group assessments to enhance your selection process, including actor-led role plays, service user discussions and group activities.
Recent examples of our work
Recruitment project: Individual Placement Support
Commissioned by NHS England in 2023 we have partnered with Social Finance to help bring specialist support to more job seekers living with mental health needs.
Open to anyone using mental health services who wants to work, Individual Placement Support helps people find a job that’s right for them with the assistance of an employment specialist.
We are working with the 70 Individual Placement Support providers in England to strengthen their recruitment and retention capabilities.
We have been driving recruitment strategy development; helping with awareness raising of the service and employment specialist role itself; and delivering training on staff retention and key recruitment activities – including advertising, social media, events, and partnership management.
Recruitment project: Talking Therapies
“We found the Think Ahead team helpful, flexible and professional throughout the process
We Are With You
We supported the charity We Are With You with the recruitment of trainee high intensity CBT therapists to work in Kent and Medway Talking Therapies services.
We also worked with seven NHS trusts in South West England to support the recruitment of their IAPT trainees, designing and managing their first ever assessment days to improve their selection process.
Research project: Strengthening the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment for newly qualified social workers
Funded by Health Education England, we partnered with Skills for Care to research the development of mental health social work provision in London NHS trusts.
Exploring newly qualified social workers’ experiences in the NHS, we drew conclusions on how to achieve best practice for their pivotal post-training-year and ways in which NHS Trusts could improve their programmes and ultimately service provision.
In addition to producing an in-depth report for policymakers, decision-makers and NHS employers, the project also convened a first-of-its-kind collaboration for Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) provision in London. Led by the East London NHS Foundation Trust, teams across the city are sharing resources to develop a mental health specific ASYE programme for London.
Find out more
If you’re interested in finding out more about our services, please contact: hello@thinkahead.org.