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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11 Jul / 22News
Let the training begin: 2022 Cohort start
Our 2022 Cohort have begun their training to become mental health social workers, kicking off their journey with a day of welcome talks and teaching at the first day of our Summer Institute. This is our seventh cohort to join the programme, meaning that we have taken on 823 trainee social workers since our first […]
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16 Jun / 22News
Welcoming the 2022 Cohort
Members of our 2022 cohort have kicked off their journey to become mental health social workers. The new trainees attended an online launch event on 11 June, and heard from current and past trainees, members of our Service User and Carer Reference Group, head office representatives, and staff from our academic partner Middlesex University. The […]
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9 May / 22Expert insight
How does loneliness impact mental health?
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is loneliness. Here Think Ahead’s Practice Specialists, our in-house senior social workers, share their thoughts on the real life implications of isolation on mental health, and how we can better support people to connect with creative and innovative solutions. Adella When I worked in and managed […]
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14 Mar / 22News
Social Work Week 2022
It is Social Work Week in England, an opportunity to bring people together to learn, connect, and promote social work. A chance to celebrate the profession; a profession that has arguably never been needed more than it is today. Particularly mental health social work. Social work and me This year, Social Work England has set theme […]
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20 Dec / 21News
Committed to being an anti-racist organisation
Background In December 2020, we made a public commitment to become an anti-racist organisation. We outlined how we would make progress in achieving this and pledged to update on our commitments. In 2020, we committed to the following: Recruiting more people from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities into our graduate programme. Ensuring our curriculum […]
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1 Nov / 21News
Become a mental health social worker
*Applications to join our programme are now closed but we will open for our 2023 intake this autumn. To receive updates about the programme, please sign up to our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and twitter. We are facing one of the toughest mental health challenges of all time. If ever there was a […]
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19 Oct / 21
“This programme was life-changing”
This month, we marked the end of the two-year Think Ahead programme for the 2019 cohort of mental health social workers. We celebrated the milestone with an online event, reflecting on their achievements and celebrating their successes. Unlike previous years, the event was virtual. Over the last two years, the cohort have had to adapt […]
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17 Aug / 21News
2021 Cohort complete the Summer Institute
Our 2021 Cohort have passed the first milestone on their journey to becoming mental health social workers, having completed the Summer Institute. For the past four weeks, the 160 new trainees – our biggest intake to date – have been immersed in lectures, practical workshops and keynote talks with respected experts across the sector. Led […]
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18 Jun / 21News
Two new trustees join Think Ahead’s Board
We have been delighted to welcome two new additions to our Board of Trustees, Levi Chambers-Cook and Professor Kamaldeep Bhui. Levi completed the Think Ahead programme in 2018 and is the first member of our alumni network to sit on the Board of Trustees. Her frontline experience will bring an important perspective to the position, […]
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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 […]