Trainee Mental Health Social Worker

Join the mental health mission and choose a career that changes lives. 

Get paid to train as a social worker and specialise in supporting adults with mental health needs.

With Think Ahead, you could: 

• Train and work in your local area and make a difference in your community. 

• Earn as you learn with dedicated support from experienced social workers and academic tutors.  

• Gain a fully-funded postgraduate diploma and master’s degree in just two years. 

The Think Ahead programme 

Think Ahead offers a paid two-year social work training programme, partnering with NHS trusts and local authorities across England. Each year we train up to 160 social workers, bringing passionate people into the sector and strengthening mental health services. 

Joining a unit of fellow trainees, you’ll learn on the job, working alongside mental health professionals and learning from senior social workers.  

By training with Think Ahead, you’ll be joining the mental health mission and beginning a worthwhile career in the social work sector. 

Who are we looking for? 

We want people who can make a real difference and help people living with mental illness. You don’t need any prior experience of social work, but you will need to:  

• Hold or be predicted to hold a 2:2 in a subject other than social work. 
• Hold at least a grade C at GCSE level in Maths, and in English or English Language (not English Literature), or an equivalent level 2 qualification.  
• Have the right to remain and work in the UK (including access to public funds) for the entire duration of the programme. 

We encourage applicants from underrepresented groups within the mental health and social work sector, including people from Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities, and those who identify as being part of the LGBT+ community. We also encourage men to apply, as they are also currently underrepresented. 

For full details you can take our eligibility checker. 

About the role 

Mental health social work is a highly varied role that offers a wide range of opportunities to support the lives of people with mental health needs. 

Using a social approach, you will help them address a diverse range of factors including relationships, housing, and employment, that are often overlooked in treatment of mental illness. 

This might include standing up for someone’s legal rights in the workplace; reconnecting them with friends, family and their local community; or working with local authorities to make sure they are living in accommodation that is suitable for their needs. 

How to apply 

Registrations for 2025 are open now! Early applications are encouraged as some locations will close sooner than others.