Calling for investment in the mental health workforce
Ahead of next year’s General Election, we have published our first Think Ahead manifesto for urgent transformation of the mental health workforce. Workforce Matters: A Manifesto, shares the often challenging reality of life on the frontline and impact the ongoing workforce crisis is having on people’s care. Developed with mental health practitioners across the NHS […]
- 24 Apr / 19In the media
“He’s optimistic about his future and so am I. It’s moments like this that make it all worthwhile.” – Participant shares a week in his life with the Guardian
Think Ahead participant Benji has shared the details of a week in his job, for the Guardian’s “My working week” series. In the article Benji, who is a qualified social worker currently in his second year on the Think Ahead programme, talks about how he supports adults with mental health problems to work towards recovery. […]
- 12 Apr / 19In the media
“You learn a lot about yourself and your own strengths” – Think Ahead participant tells Radio Essex about her journey
Think Ahead participant Georgie has spoken about her experience on the programme, and the career options open to mental health social workers, on Radio Essex. In the interview Georgie explained how she initially came to train as a mental health social worker. “I definitely knew that I wanted to work in mental health, but I […]
- 11 Apr / 19News
“It has strengthened social work’s role in community mental health team transformation” – Impact Update 2019 published
Our first cohort of participants, who joined Think Ahead in 2016, completed the programme in September 2018. [Partnering with Think Ahead has] made the Board more aware of social work, heightened the profile of social work, and strengthened social work’s role in community mental health team transformation. Service manager from 2018 partner organisation Six months […]
- 9 Apr / 19In the media
“It’s very varied, no two days are the same. You’ve got to be prepared for that challenge.” – Think Ahead participant shares her experience with BBC Radio Somerset
Think Ahead participant Anna-Clare (pictured above) has been interviewed by BBC Radio Somerset about what made her choose to work in mental health, and what her role as a mental health social worker is like. Anna-Clare joined the Think Ahead programme in 2017, and is now a newly qualified social worker working in Somerset. Before […]
- 13 Feb / 19Features
“There’s nothing like seeing the participants change lives under your guidance”
A Think Ahead Consultant Social Worker (an experienced social worker supervising four of our participants) has shared a week’s diary with Community Care, the leading social care news website. The Consultant Social Worker – who chose to remain anonymous in order to protect the identity of service users – describes her working week supervising four […]
- 7 Feb / 19Features
“Sometimes you have to do a bit of paperwork to give someone freedom” – Think Ahead participant writes for Community Care
A Think Ahead participant has written a piece for Community Care, the leading social care news website, explaining why his attitude to paperwork changed drastically after seeing the difference it can make to a person’s life. The participant – who chose not to be identified to protect service users’ anonymity – is in his first […]
- 12 Dec / 18News
FILM: “It’s everything I want to do in my future career” – Participants share their learnings from the Think Ahead Summer Institute
Each year our new intake of around 100 aspiring mental health social workers start their journey at a six-week residential – the Think Ahead Summer Institute. It’s a great opportunity for them to get to know each other and learn the basics of mental health social work in an exciting and supportive environment, before taking […]
- 5 Dec / 18News
New Lived Experience Partnership Chair appointed
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Oliver Wood as the new independent chair of our Lived Experience Partnership. Established in 2014, the Lived Experience Partnership ensures the needs of service users and carers are represented in everything we do. The group has been involved in shaping many aspects of our flagship training programme […]
- 26 Nov / 18News
Minister meets Think Ahead participants
The Minister of State for Care, Caroline Dinenage MP, today visited Think Ahead participants working as mental health social workers. The Minister was able to hear first-hand about the impact of social work in mental health services, and the difference our participants are making in their work with people with severe and enduring mental health […]
- 9 Oct / 18In the media
“I wanted to change career to a role working with vulnerable people” – Think Ahead featured in the Evening Standard
Think Ahead participant Levi (pictured above) has been interviewed in the Evening Standard newspaper about why she chose to train to be a mental health social worker. 24-year-old Levi joined the Think Ahead programme in 2016, and is now one of our alumni. Before joining the programme she worked in recruitment for a pharmaceutical company. […]
- 3 Oct / 18In the media
“I’m not sure if I would have ended up doing social work if it wasn’t for Think Ahead” – participants speak to Community Care
Think Ahead participants Sonya and Alex, and our Co-Chief Executive Natalie, have spoken to Community Care, a leading social work news website, about the Think Ahead programme. Community Care carried out the interviews to mark our first cohort completing the two-year programme. Sonya Chee (pictured above), who works in an Early Intervention in Psychosis team […]
- 28 Sep / 18In the media
“It’s a real privilege to be allowed into people’s lives […] It lets us work in a holistic way and actually make a difference.” – participants interviewed in the Guardian
Think Ahead participants Maisie, Levi and Alec have spoken to the Guardian about their experiences working as mental health social workers. All three were members of our first cohort – who completed the two-year Think Ahead programme at the end of September. Maisie Satchwell-Hirst (pictured above) is a 23-year-old Cambridge graduate, who works with service […]