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19 Aug / 16Expert insight
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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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 / 16Expert insight
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 / 16Expert insight
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 / 16Expert insight
“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 / 16Expert insight
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 […]
