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27 Apr / 21News
Meeting Minister for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety
The Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and Patient Safety, Nadine Dorries MP, today joined us for a virtual meeting to learn about the invaluable contribution social work makes to mental health services. It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister of State today and show her the unique support mental health social […]
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26 Mar / 21News
Think Ahead’s first conference
We were delighted to be joined by over 350 delegates this week at our first ever conference, Think Ahead presents: Mental health social work in 2021. The event offered a rare opportunity to focus on the vital role frontline mental health social workers play in driving and responding to change. Our broad range of speakers brought a wealth of knowledge […]
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15 Mar / 21In the media
Think Ahead featured in the Financial Times
Think Ahead participant Iqra and our Strategy Director Matthew Brown have been featured in a Financial Times article exploring how the coronavirus pandemic has caused rising interest in public sector careers around the world. The article looks at mental health social work as an example of a public sector career which attracts many young people […]
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9 Mar / 21In the media
Our voices should be key to developing and delivering services that support us
Caroline Butterwick, one of our lived experience partners, discusses how she uses her lived experience to make a difference in a piece for PosAbility Magazine. She explains: “For me, one of the unexpected benefits of service user involvement is the chance to take ownership of my narrative. “I get to tell my story in my […]
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11 Jan / 21In the media
Research by Think Ahead social worker finds that inpatients’ religious and cultural needs often go unmet
A member of our first intake, Kuldip Kaur Kang, has written about her research into inpatients’ religious and cultural needs for Community Care, a leading social work website. As part of her master’s degree on the Think Ahead programme, Kuldip explored whether people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds had their religious and […]
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27 Nov / 20News
Mental health social work is “so much more than the health silo” – Shadow Mental Health Minister meets Think Ahead community
We were delighted to welcome Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Shadow Mental Health Minister, to an online event this week with our current trainees and alumni of the programme. Part of an ongoing series of events with leading figures in mental health and social work, the interactive session tackled a range of issues mental health social […]
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29 Sep / 20In the media
“Improving the nation’s mental health has to be a top political priority” – Think Ahead’s Chief Executive writes for PoliticsHome
Think Ahead’s Chief Executive Ella Joseph has written an opinion piece for PoliticsHome, a leading political news and commentary website. In it she discusses the mental health crisis brought on by Covid-19 and how today’s announcement of £27m of Government investment in the Think Ahead programme will contribute to tackling this crisis. The investment will […]
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29 Sep / 20News
Government provides up to £27m to expand Think Ahead programme
The Department of Health and Social Care has today announced that it has awarded Think Ahead up to £27m, to fund at least two further cohorts of the Think Ahead graduate programme each providing 160 places per year – a 60% increase in the annual intake. Our programme offers talented graduates and career-changers a paid […]
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12 Aug / 20News
“You’re coming into working in mental health at an incredibly exciting, and also challenging, time.” – Summer Institute 2020 comes to an end
The Summer Institute for our 2020 Cohort finished at the end of last week – following three weeks of teaching to introduce our trainees to mental health social work and social interventions, and to prepare them for joining frontline services. This group of just over 100 participants are the fifth cohort to join the Think […]
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23 Jul / 20In the media
“It allows us to be really ambitious” – Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executives speak to The Guardian about joint leadership
Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executives Ella Joseph and Natalie Acton have been interviewed for an article on joint leadership in The Guardian. The article examines the challenges and opportunities of job sharing, especially in leadership roles, and asks whether the pandemic might provide an opportunity for organisations to re-examine their ways of working. Speaking to Graham […]
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16 Jul / 20In the media
“The mental health workforce is going to be more important than ever” – Think Ahead’s Chief Executive writes for the Independent
Our Chief Executive Ella Joseph has written an opinion piece about how the coronavirus pandemic has been “devastating for many people’s mental health” and what needs to happen in order to expand the mental health workforce to help it respond effectively. Writing for the Independent, Ella explained the key role that social factors play in […]
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15 Jul / 20In the media
“I think the biggest satisfaction you get working in mental health is the bond you develop with people.” – Think Ahead participant interviewed by The Guardian
Think Ahead participant Paddy Hartigan has spoken to The Guardian about his experience working as a mental health social worker, and how his job has changed throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The article looked into the challenges that the mental health workforce is facing because of the coronavirus. Paddy, who is a qualified mental health social worker and […]
