Calling for investment in the mental health workforce
Ahead of next year’s General Election, we have published our first Think Ahead manifesto for urgent transformation of the mental health workforce. Workforce Matters: A Manifesto, shares the often challenging reality of life on the frontline and impact the ongoing workforce crisis is having on people’s care. Developed with mental health practitioners across the NHS […]
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30 Aug / 16Features
“Sharing our experiences in order to do something positive” – Summer Institute 2016 comes to an end
Today Think Ahead’s inaugural Summer Institute ends. Our first cohort of participants are readying themselves to move into community mental health teams for 12 months of on-the-job learning starting in September, and this week’s teaching has included a focus on preparing for entering the workplace. My favourite thing about the Summer Institute has been bringing […]
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19 Aug / 16Features
Ensuring social work perspectives are valued: week five at the Summer Institute
It’s the penultimate week at the Summer Institute, and communication has played a big part in this week’s learning. Communication skills are hugely important for social workers in many elements of their job. Of course, being able to build relationships with service users is crucial – as Frances Turner, an experienced mental health social worker […]
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17 Aug / 16In the media
“When I shadowed social workers, I saw how they fight for people”
A Think Ahead participant has shared their reflections on a day they spent shadowing a mental health social worker before they joined the programme. In an anonymous piece published on Guardian Social Care, the participant follows a social worker on visits to two service users. Although some of the interactions witnessed were challenging, the participant reflects: “Often […]
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16 Aug / 16In the media
“There’s a real opportunity for change here” – Community Care visits the Summer Institute
Community Care’s Rachel Carter spent 48 hours at Devonshire Hall in Leeds at the start of our Summer Institute. During her time she heard speeches from key figures in social work including Lyn Romeo, Chief Social Worker for Adults, and Ruth Allen, Chief Executive of British Association of Social Workers. Martin Webber, Think Ahead’s Academic […]
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12 Aug / 16Features
Eco-maps and safety assessments: inside week four at Think Ahead’s Summer Institute
This week at the Summer Institute risk assessments – or rather ‘safety assessments’ – took centre stage. Participants spent a day exploring how to assess the level of protection from harm that a person with mental health problems might require, through a mixture of teaching sessions and group work. These sessions included looking at some […]
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5 Aug / 16Features
Developing leadership skills at the Summer Institute
We’re half way through our 2016 Summer Institute, and this week our participants have been learning about leadership. Leadership is an important part of the Think Ahead curriculum, because mental health social workers need the ability to make difficult judgement calls and influence others. During this week’s teaching, participants took the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator […]
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29 Jul / 16Features
“Human rights are often deep at the heart of important social work decisions”
Our 96 participants have now completed the second week of their Summer Institute. This week they learnt about some of the legal and ethical aspects of social work, including a strong focus on human rights and liberty. These issues have a real impact on social work practice day-to-day, because social workers have to make tough […]
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22 Jul / 16Features
Week one at the Summer Institute
Today marks the end of week one of Think Ahead’s Summer Institute – the six-week residential where our participants receive an intensive grounding in mental health social work, before they start training on-the-job in community mental health teams in September. Throughout this first week, participants have had an introduction to social work and mental health […]
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19 Jul / 16News
“You’re bringing a great passion into social work” – Chief Social Worker
Lyn Romeo, Chief Social Worker for Adults, gave her support for Think Ahead at the Opening Ceremony for our Summer Institute last night, telling our participants and supporters: “You’re bringing a great passion into social work.” Don’t underestimate the impact you can have as a mental health social worker. John Short, Chief Executive of Birmingham and Solihull […]
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18 Jul / 16News
Think Ahead Summer Institute begins
Today marks the beginning of our first ever Summer Institute – a major milestone for Think Ahead. The 96 talented graduates and career-changers that make up our first cohort are now together in Leeds, ready to begin six weeks of intensive learning in mental health social work. The teaching is being delivered in partnership with […]
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24 Jun / 16In the media
“I feel I am being listened to and helping to make a real impact within mental health”
Ziaul, a member of our Service User and Carer Reference Group, has written a blog post about his involvement in shaping the Think Ahead programme. Here’s the piece in full, which first appeared on the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s co-production blog. For about a year I’ve been involved with Think Ahead, the charity running a […]
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19 May / 16In the media
Chief Social Worker highlights Think Ahead’s impact
Chief Social Worker for Adults, Lyn Romeo, has written about the important role of social work in mental health services, and how Think Ahead can benefit the profession. Think Ahead generated huge interest and media coverage during its first call for applications, and its promotional film encouraged people to consider careers in mental health social work. Lyn […]