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 […]
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22 Apr / 24
Opening the conversation on substance use
We are pleased to be launching new substance use training for qualified social workers supporting people living with mental health and substance use issues. Alexia Fenwick, our Professional Development Lead, explains just how transformative this could be. Meeting people’s actual needs “This training is all about improving the lives of people that […]
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12 Apr / 24
Building a mental health workforce fit for the future
We are proud contributors to the briefing published this week: Building a mental health workforce fit for the future. Here CEO Philippa Mariani shares her reflections on the importance of the piece. It was a privilege to be in the room with sector partners at the national workforce roundtable co-hosted by Centre for Mental Health, […]
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29 Mar / 24
Social Work Week 2024
Social Work Week offers a chance to celebrate social workers and advocate for the value of social work across society. Hosted by regulator Social Work England, this year’s week had three key themes to: Learn: sharing the breadth of good practice from a diverse profession Connect: lived, learned and professional experiences – creating opportunities for […]
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16 Jan / 24News
2023 Impact Report
We’re pleased to share our Impact Report evaluating our work over the last year. Our vision is simple: a thriving mental health workforce, empowered to support people to live the life they want and deserve. From our mental health social work programme, to our advocacy work across the sector, we work to ensure people living […]
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4 Jan / 24
Chair of our Board awarded Grand Cross for public service
We are delighted that Professor Dame Carol Black has been awarded in the New Year Honours List 2024 a Dame Grand Cross in the Order of the British Empire (GBE) for public service. A rare honour, the Grand Cross is the highest rank in the Order and recognises Dame Carol’s transformational work, following her damehood (DBE) […]
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18 Dec / 23News
Rising Star Award Winner: Amy Allott-Thomas
We’re delighted to congratulate Amy Allott-Thomas, one of our alumni, for winning the “Rising Star” award in Bradford Council’s Service Excellence Awards. Open to anyone working for the council, the award recognises the potential of someone in the first five years of their career with a commitment to making change happen. Amy was in the […]
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24 Oct / 23
Think Ahead contract extended to bolster mental health social work workforce
Applications are open for Think Ahead’s programme to train to be a mental health social worker. The Department of Health and Social Care has extended Think Ahead’s contract to recruit and train 320 mental health social workers by 2027. The funding will be used to recruit 160 graduate trainees in 2024 and again in 2025. […]
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23 Oct / 23Features
Year one done: Ben, Izzy and Tracey’s update
It’s hard to imagine what it’s like training to be a mental health social worker. Learning on the job with us, you’re balancing the demands of a full-time position with academic studies. And that job isn’t just any old job. It directly affects people’s lives. It can be tough. But time and again we hear […]
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16 Oct / 23News
Join the mental health mission: apply today
Applications for 2024 entry to our mental health social work programme are now open. With Think Ahead, you could be paid to train as a mental health social worker and support people with mental health needs. Joining the programme you will: Gain a fully-funded postgraduate diploma and master’s degree in social work. Be an advocate […]
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22 Aug / 23In the media
Think Ahead community nominated for Social Work Awards 2023
We are delighted that three current and former Think Ahead trainees and one of the programme’s academic tutors are finalists in the Social Work Awards 2023. Karla Coppendale (2022 cohort), James Hussain (2021 cohort), Eleanor Hinchcliffe (2017 cohort) and David Bulmer (Senior Lecturer in Social Work for Middlesex University) have each been nominated and announced […]
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18 Aug / 23News
2022 cohort finish their first year of social work training
Congratulations to our 2022 cohort for completing their first year of our mental health social work programme. From music teachers to journalists our 2022 trainees came from a broad range of backgrounds and started their social work journey in July 2022 with a five-week summer institute. Over the past year they have studied for a […]
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10 Jul / 23News
2023 cohort begin their training journey
A new programme has begun for our latest group of trainees. The 2023 Cohort kicked off their training journey with a day of introduction talks and teaching at the 2023 Summer Institute. This is our eighth cohort and we’re proud to have welcomed close to 1,000 trainee mental health social workers since we began in […]