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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2 Dec / 24News
Social work must be prioritised in 10 Year Health Plan
In our response to the NHS Change Consultation, we are calling for the government to prioritise “forgotten” mental health social workers. Policymakers have a blind spot which continuously overlooks the impact mental health social workers have in improving patient outcomes. But it is mental health social workers who hold the key to fulfilling the government’s […]
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1 Nov / 24News
Supporting the approved mental health professional network
We are delighted to be supporting the approved mental health professional network. In partnership with PCH (which is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care) we are working with five local authorities, we are embedding the National Service Standards to improve service delivery for people. Alexia Fenwick, Professional Development Lead explains: “Approved mental health […]
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15 Oct / 24News
Think Ahead turns 10
“It began with a spark of an idea to make the social, economic and environmental factors affecting people’s mental health the bedrock of training for careers in the sector. From that spark grew the highly regarded organisation that Think Ahead is today.” Those are the words of our Chief Executive, Philippa Mariani, about Think Ahead’s […]
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15 Oct / 24News
Become a mental health social worker: apply today
Applications for our 2025 entry to our mental health social work programme are now open. Gain a fully-funded postgraduate diploma and master’s degree in social work. Be an advocate for local people in your community with mental health problems. Earn as you learn with dedicated support from experienced social workers and academic tutors. Start a […]
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11 Sep / 24
What are our alumni doing now?
We were delighted to welcome members of our Alumni Community for an alumni event at our head office in London. It was a fantastic opportunity for alumni of our programme to share their stories and hear from a panel of alumni who have taken different career paths after graduating from our programme. Career pathways Attendees heard […]
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28 Aug / 24Expert insight
Mental health and work: improving support
Over the last year, we have been working to support the recruitment of employment specialists who work in dedicated services to help people with severe mental health problems to find employment. We’ve been working in partnership with not for profit Social Finance to support these services – called Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services – […]
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23 Aug / 24News
Alumni recognised in Social Work Awards
We are delighted to share that two former Think Ahead trainees are finalists in the Social Work Awards 2024. Hannah Kingsford and Emma Crowe have both been announced as finalists in their two categories. Emma Crowe – Mental Health Social Worker of the Year Finalist Emma joined our programme in 2019, after volunteering for listening […]
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15 Aug / 24News
2024 trainees preparing for placement
As this year’s Summer Institute draws to a close, our 2024 trainees have passed the first programme milestone to becoming mental health social workers. The five-week intensive learning experience has laid the groundwork for their placements at NHS trusts and local authorities, beginning later this month. Blending online and lecture-based learning, with workshops and practical […]
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1 Aug / 24News
Welcoming our new trustees
Think Ahead is delighted to welcome three new trustees, appointing Aparajita ‘Aps’ Ajit, Peter Molyneux and Liam Sloan to its Board. The organisation believes that a thriving mental health workforce is key to ensuring every person can live the life they want. It was founded in 2014, to deliver an accelerated recruitment and training programme […]
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26 Jun / 24Expert insight
General Election manifesto response
The General Election is a week away. At Think Ahead, we believe that transforming the mental health workforce is key to tackling the mental health crisis. In November last year, we published our own manifesto ‘Workforce Matters’, based on research with our trainee social workers, people with lived experience of services, operational leaders in the […]
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14 Jun / 24Expert insight
Strengthening drug and alcohol services
Alexia Fenwick, our Professional Development Lead, responds to the publication of the first-ever national strategic workforce plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector. We were pleased to see the government’s new 10-year plan to strengthen the drug and alcohol workforce and improve services for the people using them. Recognition of […]
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22 Apr / 24Expert insight
Opening the conversation: substance use
We are pleased to have launched a new substance use training for qualified social workers supporting people living with mental health and substance use issues. Our first training has now been successfully been delivered with great results: 100% of participants reporting the training course has influenced their professional development. Participants finishing eight times more likely […]