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  • 16 Jan / 24
    News

    2023 Impact Report

    We’re pleased to share our Impact Report evaluating our work over the last year. Our vision is simple: a thriving mental health workforce, empowered to support people to live the life they want and deserve. From our mental health social work programme, to our advocacy work across the sector, we work to ensure people living […]

  • 4 Jan / 24

    Chair of our Board awarded Grand Cross for public service  

    We are delighted that Professor Dame Carol Black has been awarded in the New Year Honours List 2024 a Dame Grand Cross in the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for public service. A rare honour, the Grand Cross is the highest rank in the Order and recognises Dame Carol’s transformational work, following her damehood (DBE) […]

  • 18 Dec / 23
    News

    Rising Star Award Winner: Amy Allott-Thomas

    We’re delighted to congratulate Amy Allott-Thomas, one of our alumni, for winning the “Rising Star” award in Bradford Council’s Service Excellence Awards. Open to anyone working for the council, the award recognises the potential of someone in the first five years of their career with a commitment to making change happen. Amy was in the […]

  • 24 Oct / 23

    Think Ahead contract extended to bolster mental health social work workforce

    Applications are open for Think Ahead’s programme to train to be a mental health social worker. The Department of Health and Social Care has extended Think Ahead’s contract to recruit and train 320 mental health social workers by 2027. The funding will be used to recruit 160 graduate trainees in 2024 and again in 2025. […]

  • 23 Oct / 23
    Features

    Year one done: Ben, Izzy and Tracey’s update

    It’s hard to imagine what it’s like training to be a mental health social worker. Learning on the job with us, you’re balancing the demands of a full-time position with academic studies. And that job isn’t just any old job. It directly affects people’s lives. It can be tough.  But time and again we hear […]

  • 16 Oct / 23
    News

    Join the mental health mission: apply today

    Applications for 2024 entry to our mental health social work programme are now open. With Think Ahead, you could be paid to train as a mental health social worker and support people with mental health needs. Joining the programme you will: Gain a fully-funded postgraduate diploma and master’s degree in social work. Be an advocate […]

  • 22 Aug / 23
    In the media

    Think Ahead community nominated for Social Work Awards 2023

    We are delighted that three current and former Think Ahead trainees and one of the programme’s academic tutors are finalists in the Social Work Awards 2023. Karla Coppendale (2022 cohort), James Hussain (2021 cohort), Eleanor Hinchcliffe (2017 cohort) and David Bulmer (Senior Lecturer in Social Work for Middlesex University) have each been nominated and announced […]

  • 18 Aug / 23
    News

    2022 cohort finish their first year of social work training

    Congratulations to our 2022 cohort for completing their first year of our mental health social work programme. From music teachers to journalists our 2022 trainees came from a broad range of backgrounds and started their social work journey in July 2022 with a five-week summer institute. Over the past year they have studied for a […]

  • 10 Jul / 23
    News

    2023 cohort begin their training journey

    A new programme has begun for our latest group of trainees. The 2023 Cohort kicked off their training journey with a day of introduction talks and teaching at the 2023 Summer Institute. This is our eighth cohort and we’re proud to have welcomed close to 1,000 trainee mental health social workers since we began in […]

  • 4 Jul / 23

    Our submission to the major conditions strategy: call for evidence

    In May 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care launched an open consultation to gather evidence and expertise on how to prevent, diagnose, treat and manage the six major groups of health conditions – including mental health – that most affect the population in England. We recruit, train, and develop the mental health workforce […]

  • 23 Jun / 23

    From social worker to expert by experience – a personal account

    Rebecca Regler, one of our Lived Experience Partners, graduated in social work nine years ago. After becoming an enthusiastic newly qualified social worker, she sadly became very unwell and was left disabled. Her life was turned upside down. Experiencing chronic pain, severe fatigue, and frequent joint dislocations, she became a wheelchair user and was no […]

  • 16 Jun / 23
    In the media

    Think Ahead Alum Nikki nominated as finalist for BBC Radio 4 All in The Mind Awards

    We are delighted that Think Ahead alum Nikki Lonsdale is one of nine BBC Radio 4 All in The Mind Awards finalists, after being nominated by Vicki who she supported in her role as Care Coordinator. Shortlisted from almost 1,000 nominations, Nikki is a finalist for the Professional Award which celebrates mental health professionals whose […]