Levi’s story
Writing for our 10 year anniversary series, Levi shares insights from the frontline and our Board of Trustees.
10 years on and Think Ahead maintains such a clear vision and purpose.
As a social worker, you consistently strive to achieve justice for the people you work with.
Think Ahead supports this ethos and evokes a strong sense of passion in its trainees. It connects them to research, social policy and new initiatives to push boundaries and improve people’s lives.
What impact can we have?
On the Board of Trustees, we constantly ask ourselves: what impact can Think Ahead make at personal, professional, organisational and societal levels?
What is our aspiration for people who use mental health services?
How can social workers harness their training to change thinking, attitudes and culture in their workplaces? And, on a broader more strategic level, how can we prioritise the focus on social issues in all mental health services?
The unique role of social work in mental health
Traditional health roles are clearly important, but we needn’t always solely rely on the medical model. Social work may not always be as visible as other professions but that does not diminish its importance.
Social work may not always be as visible as other professions but that does not diminish its importance.
Doctors can’t sit down with you to look at your relationships, tackle your finances, or help you apply for housing or a visa.
This approach is unique to the social work role and with that, the potential impact on somebody’s life is significant.
The ambition and mission of the charity feels as relevant to me now as an operational manager, as it did when I started my training. I am proud to have been part of the 10-year journey and feel excited about what the future holds.
Levi trained with us in the very first year of our programme and is the first alumni representative on our board of trustees, bringing invaluable frontline insights to strategic decisions.
To mark our ten year anniversary, we’re sharing personal testimonies from people involved with our charity. From mental health practitioners like Levi, to trainees of ours, people with lived experience of mental health services, and our NHS and social care partners.
Read more of these on our stories page.