Lessons from Labour Party Conference 2025: Where is mental health?
Our Head of Communications and Public Affairs Katie Leay shares her reflections from this year’s Labour Party Conference. Labour’s 2025 Conference was buzzing with ambition to transform our health system – but I came away thinking – is mental health being forgotten again? I attended alongside our Chief Executive, Philippa Mariani, and Levi Chambers-Cook – […]
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27 Mar / 17News
“There’s so much support” – Think Ahead participants meet our new recruits
That was the message from Thea Radburn, a current participant on the Think Ahead programme, to our new intake of trainee social workers at our 2017 Cohort Launch Event on Saturday. The event allowed the 2017 participants to meet each other for the first time, and to learn from participants already going through the Think […]
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21 Mar / 17In the media
Think Ahead research finds vital role of mental health social workers is misunderstood
At Think Ahead we recognise that mental health social workers play a crucial role in society, providing a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in the country. They’re the professionals who are able to work holistically with people with mental health problems, providing support with life issues like relationships, finances, living arrangements and […]
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27 Jan / 17News
Opportunities with Think Ahead in 2017 – application dates announced
We can today announce the opening date for applications to join the Think Ahead graduate programme in 2018, and for two additional opportunities for students and graduates to work with us this year. Apply this year to join the Think Ahead programme in 2018 Applications to join our third intake, beginning the programme in July […]
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9 Jan / 17News
Prime Minister backs Think Ahead in major speech
The Prime Minister Theresa May has highlighted the importance of Think Ahead, in a major speech today in which she set out her plans to “transform the way we deal with mental health problems, right across society and at every stage of life”. As part of her approach, the Prime Minister said that she wants […]
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9 Jan / 17News
Breaking new ground in 2017
Chief Executive Ella Joseph is looking forward to seeing the first qualified social workers trained by Think Ahead enter the mental health workforce. 2016 was a big year for our charity. When Natalie Acton and I founded Think Ahead in 2014 we were driven by our certainty that people’s social circumstances – their relationships, support […]
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7 Dec / 16In the media
2016 participants speak to Radio 4’s All in the Mind
Two of our 2016 participants have spoken to BBC Radio 4’s All in the Mind about their motivations for joining the Think Ahead programme and the work they have been doing in their community mental health teams since September. I feel incredibly challenged, I feel inspired, I feel that this is the right place for […]
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11 Nov / 16Expert insight
Film: “I really enjoy learning about people’s stories”
Deborah Waller was working in science communication when she heard about the Think Ahead programme. She graduated from UCL in 2011 with a degree in Human Science, but last year decided to look into changing career. Deborah said: “My focus was brought to mental health whenever it came up so I thought, this is something […]
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9 Nov / 16News
Independent evaluation of Think Ahead begins
As part of our aim to build evaluation into how the Think Ahead programme works, earlier this year we invited proposals from external partners to carry out an independent assessment of our impact. We received lots of exciting offers, and we’re delighted to now be working with a team from the Universities of Durham and […]
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1 Nov / 16Expert insight
Film: “I wanted to do something that helped others”
Al Tooms was studying English Literature at the University of Lancaster when he came across Think Ahead. Al was looking for a graduate programme that would lead him into a rewarding career, having previously done some volunteering with young people with mental health problems. After finding out more about what mental health social workers do, […]
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25 Oct / 16Expert insight
“This is the place to come if you want to change the world”
We spoke to Paul Farmer, CEO of Mind, about the challenges in mental health and the value of social workers. What made you want to work in mental health? I started to see the importance of mental health at a personal level when I was young – a member of my family had mental health […]
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11 Oct / 16Expert insight
“Social work is therapeutic input at its best”
Alivia Bray, a Think Ahead participant, has written about her experiences in her first few weeks of on-the-job training to be a mental health social worker. In a piece written for the Guardian, Alivia has reflected on her first few weeks working in a community mental health team, which she joined in September. She writes: “I […]
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10 Oct / 16Expert insight
World Mental Health Day: Social work and mental health first aid
It’s World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme includes Psychological and Mental Health First Aid, bringing to light the importance of supporting people through mental health crises. For thousands of people who experience a mental health crisis each year, their lifeline isn’t a paramedic or a psychiatrist – it’s their social worker who answers […]