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  • 29 Sep / 20
    In 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 […]

  • 29 Sep / 20
    News

    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 […]

  • 12 Aug / 20
    News

    “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 […]

  • 23 Jul / 20
    In 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 […]

  • 16 Jul / 20
    In 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 […]

  • 15 Jul / 20
    In 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 […]

  • 15 Jul / 20
    In the media

    Report: Public knowledge and perceptions of careers in mental health

    We have today released new research showing that, while many people might be interested in working in mental health, there are widespread misunderstandings about careers in the field. All employers in the mental health workforce need to work together to bust some of these myths and raise awareness of how accessible and rewarding careers in mental health can be. Ella Joseph, Chief Executive […]

  • 7 May / 20
    In the media

    “I am blown away by the speed and effectiveness of their immediate crisis response.” Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executive writes about Covid-19’s impact on mental health services

    Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executive Ella Joseph has written about how mental health services are adapting to Covid-19, as well as predictions within the sector for its aftermath, in a piece for the NHS Confederation, the body that represents NHS member organisations. In the article, Ella shared insights gained through our Rapid Report, produced in response […]

  • 12 Mar / 20
    In the media

    “We need to make the case for the unique role that social workers can play” – Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executive speaks to social work magazine

    Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executive Ella Joseph has been featured in the latest edition of Professional Social Work, a magazine run by the British Association of Social Workers. In the article, Ella highlights the potential for social work to play an increasingly important role in mental health, while explaining that its value is still sometimes overlooked. […]

  • 6 Mar / 20
    In the media

    Think Ahead participant shares findings of research into rising detentions under the Mental Health Act

    One of Think Ahead’s alumni, Michael Bonnet, has written an article about his recently published research for Community Care, a leading social work news website. In his article, Michael explains that the research, which has been published in the British Journal of Social Work, sought to understand why detentions under the Mental Health Act have […]

  • 10 Feb / 20
    In the media

    “Mental health has risen up the political agenda, but there is still further to go”

    Think Ahead’s Co-Chief Executive Ella Joseph has written on the PoliticsHome website – a leading source of political news and comment – about her hopes for developments in attitudes and approaches to mental health over the next decade. In Ella’s piece, she talks about how the past decade has been transformational in the way people […]

  • 2 Jan / 20
    In the media

    “We need to redefine what manhood means” – Think Ahead participant writes for The Guardian

    A Think Ahead participant from our latest intake has written about the concept of masculinity, and how it affects men’s mental and physical health, in The Guardian. In his article JJ, who joined the Think Ahead programme last year, explains how what he terms “toxic hyper-masculinity” – the emphasis on needing to be strong and […]