Think Ahead Programme 2022

At Think Ahead, we want to see a society where everyone with mental health problems can flourish.

That won’t happen unless people can improve their social circumstances – because life issues like relationships, living arrangements, and employment have profound effects on mental wellbeing.

To drive change we created the Think Ahead programme, one of the UK’s most competitive graduate schemes, to offer remarkable graduates and career-changers a new route into mental health social work.

Working closely with our academic partner, Middlesex University, and our host organisations, NHS Trusts and Local Authorities, we ensured our participants were able to safely continue the programme and make an important contribution to the coronavirus response.  

We continue to monitor the coronavirus situation carefully and in line with governmental advice and the evolving situation, may need to adjust the programme structure detailed below.   

Programme Structure

Summer Institute

Prepare for frontline work with the whole Think Ahead cohort in a four-week intensive teaching period. We hope to bring the 2022 cohort together for some face-to-face sessions but this will be dependent on the evolving coronavirus situation.

Exchange ideas with your peers, and leaders in mental health and social work.

Year One

Learn on the job in a unit of four to six Think Ahead participants, led by a Consultant Social Worker.

Gain a postgraduate diploma in social work.

Year Two

Work as a qualified social worker.

Gain master’s degree in social work.

The Think Ahead attributes

Think Ahead is an intensive programme with strictly limited places, and the selection process is very rigorous.

We are looking for exceptional individuals who have the potential to become excellent mental health social workers, and go on to lead change in their fields.

You don’t need any prior experience of social work, but you will need to demonstrate that you have the attributes necessary to excel on the Think Ahead programme and beyond.

Where you will work

We work with NHS Trusts and Local Authorities across England, who act as host organisations for our participants. Your specific workplace is likely to change during the two-year programme, but it will always be within the geographical area covered by your host organisation.

When you apply, you can let us know where you would prefer to work. We do our very best to support these preferences but may need you to be flexible about where you live and work.

Social workers often support people over a large area and in more rural places you will need to travel by car. You are less likely to be given a place on the programme if you cannot drive because many of our host organisations cover rural locations.

When you apply, you will be able to let us know whether you are able to drive, and if not whether you are willing to commit to learning before you start the programme.

When you will work

The Think Ahead programme is full-time, Monday to Friday, for its entire duration. You will not usually have to work during evenings or weekends, but there are occasional lectures and events that you may want to take part in.

This is an intensive programme, and you may find that you use some evening and weekend time for your academic studies.

In Year One, you will have a minimum of 20 days leave, plus bank holidays. In Year Two your annual leave allowance will be set by your host organisation, as your employer.

How you will be paid

You will receive a tax-free training bursary for the Summer Institute and Year One. This will be £17,200 (£19,100 with London weighting) for our 2022 cohort, paid monthly. Year One is a 14-month period, so for each full month you will receive around £1,230 (£1,360 with London weighting).

In Year Two, you will be employed as a newly qualified social worker and receive a taxable salary. Your exact salary will depend on the NHS Trust or Local Authority employing you, typically ranging from around £21,000 – £33,000, location dependent.

There are no programme fees, and all qualifications are fully funded.

How you will be supported

The Think Ahead programme is designed to provide accelerated learning and experience in an intensive environment, so we provide thorough support for participants.

In Year One, your Consultant Social Worker will be your full-time manager, responsible for your personal and professional development in your host organisation. Our Consultant Social Workers are highly experienced mental health social workers, who have been given tailored Think Ahead training. They will be able to provide technical coaching, and support and advice in dealing with the pressures of your work.

In Year Two, you will be supported by the line manager for your NHS Trust or Local Authority role.

Throughout the two years, you will get tuition and support from an academic tutor.

You will also be able to exchange advice and support with colleagues in your NHS Trust or Local Authority, and with your Think Ahead peers, including within your organisation, across the whole group of people within your cohort, and within other cohorts.

What you will study

The Think Ahead programme has an innovative curriculum, which brings together international best practice with a focus on theories and interventions that can be put into use straight away.

For the 2022 cohort, both the postgraduate diploma and the master’s degree are awarded by Middlesex University.

Research shows that social workers are most effective in mental health services when they work at three levels:

• With individuals.
• With families and groups.
• With communities.

The Think Ahead curriculum allows you to develop expertise at delivering evidence-based social interventions at all three levels – for example, through talking therapies, practical support, and community action.

You will also study topics to help you judge when and how to use the social interventions you learn, such as:

• The legal and policy framework relevant to mental health and human rights.
• The different mental health problems you may encounter.
• The range of issues which influence people’s mental health – including, for example, physical illness, childhood experiences, discrimination, domestic situations, employment, and substance misuse.