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9 Jan / 17News
Breaking new ground in 2017
Chief Executive Ella Joseph is looking forward to seeing the first qualified social workers trained by Think Ahead enter the mental health workforce. 2016 was a big year for our charity. When Natalie Acton and I founded Think Ahead in 2014 we were driven by our certainty that people’s social circumstances – their relationships, support […]
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9 Nov / 16News
Independent evaluation of Think Ahead begins
As part of our aim to build evaluation into how the Think Ahead programme works, earlier this year we invited proposals from external partners to carry out an independent assessment of our impact. We received lots of exciting offers, and we’re delighted to now be working with a team from the Universities of Durham and […]
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10 Oct / 16Expert insight
World Mental Health Day: Social work and mental health first aid
It’s World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme includes Psychological and Mental Health First Aid, bringing to light the importance of supporting people through mental health crises. For thousands of people who experience a mental health crisis each year, their lifeline isn’t a paramedic or a psychiatrist – it’s their social worker who answers […]
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12 Sep / 16News
Film: Could you be a mental health social worker?
Our new film, released today, invites you to step into the shoes of a mental health social worker and hear three stories – of the challenges you might face, and the impact you could achieve. The stories, which are portrayed by actors, are based on input from people who use mental health services and from […]
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5 Sep / 16News
Applications open to join Think Ahead in 2017
Applications are now open to join the Think Ahead programme in July 2017! If you want a graduate job that’s both rewarding and demanding, and you’re motivated to do something about the mental health challenge, from today you can apply to start your leadership career with Think Ahead. On our two-year programme you’ll be paid to work […]
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30 Aug / 16Expert insight
“Sharing our experiences in order to do something positive” – Summer Institute 2016 comes to an end
Today Think Ahead’s inaugural Summer Institute ends. Our first cohort of participants are readying themselves to move into community mental health teams for 12 months of on-the-job learning starting in September, and this week’s teaching has included a focus on preparing for entering the workplace. My favourite thing about the Summer Institute has been bringing […]
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19 Aug / 16Expert insight
Ensuring social work perspectives are valued: week five at the Summer Institute
It’s the penultimate week at the Summer Institute, and communication has played a big part in this week’s learning. Communication skills are hugely important for social workers in many elements of their job. Of course, being able to build relationships with service users is crucial – as Frances Turner, an experienced mental health social worker […]
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12 Aug / 16Expert insight
Eco-maps and safety assessments: inside week four at Think Ahead’s Summer Institute
This week at the Summer Institute risk assessments – or rather ‘safety assessments’ – took centre stage. Participants spent a day exploring how to assess the level of protection from harm that a person with mental health problems might require, through a mixture of teaching sessions and group work. These sessions included looking at some […]
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5 Aug / 16Expert insight
Developing leadership skills at the Summer Institute
We’re half way through our 2016 Summer Institute, and this week our participants have been learning about leadership. Leadership is an important part of the Think Ahead curriculum, because mental health social workers need the ability to make difficult judgement calls and influence others. During this week’s teaching, participants took the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator […]
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29 Jul / 16Expert insight
“Human rights are often deep at the heart of important social work decisions”
Our 96 participants have now completed the second week of their Summer Institute. This week they learnt about some of the legal and ethical aspects of social work, including a strong focus on human rights and liberty. These issues have a real impact on social work practice day-to-day, because social workers have to make tough […]
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22 Jul / 16Expert insight
Week one at the Summer Institute
Today marks the end of week one of Think Ahead’s Summer Institute – the six-week residential where our participants receive an intensive grounding in mental health social work, before they start training on-the-job in community mental health teams in September. Throughout this first week, participants have had an introduction to social work and mental health […]
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19 Jul / 16News
“You’re bringing a great passion into social work” – Chief Social Worker
Lyn Romeo, Chief Social Worker for Adults, gave her support for Think Ahead at the Opening Ceremony for our Summer Institute last night, telling our participants and supporters: “You’re bringing a great passion into social work.” Don’t underestimate the impact you can have as a mental health social worker. John Short, Chief Executive of Birmingham and Solihull […]
