News - Shaw Trust

£50,000 awarded to Back Up in participatory grant pilot

12/02/2026

We’re pleased to award our first participatory grant of £50,000 to Back Up, a national charity helping people get their lives back on track after a spinal cord injury.About the projectReturning to work after a spinal cord injury can be a significant challenge. Many people don’t receive specialist vocational guidance until long after they have left hospital. This often results in a loss of confidence and a belief that employment may no longer be achievable. Earlier access to tailored support

Shaw Trust appoints first Chief Data and Technology Officer

04/02/2026

Dr Jude Threlfall-Sykes, PhD has been appointed as Shaw Trust’s first Chief Data and Technology Officer.Jude joined Shaw Trust in November 2024 as Director of Technology, where she has led improvements to digital infrastructure and systems across the organisation. She brings a breadth of experience from across the sector, having previously worked at organisations including the charity Change Grow Live and the NHS.Her appointment to this newly created Chief Officer role reflects the critical importance of data and technology in

A man and a woman sit talking and smiling in front of a laptop.

Hampshire Connect to Work contract awarded to Shaw Trust

30/01/2026

This month, we launched Connect to Work in Hampshire. Commissioned by Hampshire County Council, the programme will match services to local need, giving employers a diverse pool of talent to hire from, while supporting with onboarding and retaining employees. At the same time, local Hampshire residents with health conditions and disabilities can access 1:1 coaching and job matching, getting more people into work. The picture in Hampshire Hampshire is best known for its beautiful coastline and vast stretches of the New Forest. But published

Colourful image of people gathered together. Some are sitting and talking, others are on devices, and others are climbing stairs and ladders to show progress.

Supporting over a quarter of a million people: our impact in 2024-25

26/01/2026

Between September 2024 to August 2025, we helped over 270,000 people to access and stay in good work. Read our impact report. Our highlights in numbers 49,179 people joined our employment, health and wellbeing programmes. – 59% of our Individual Placement Support (IPS) participants who started employment were still working six months later. – 81% of people on our social prescribing programmes, including WorkWell, improved their wellbeing. 103,861 people learned new skills and progressed in their career journeys. – 25% of the

Shaw Trust wins two more Connect to Work contracts

04/12/2025

We’re proud to share that Shaw Trust has secured two Connect to Work contracts in Essex and the West Midlands. The contracts have been commissioned by Essex County Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), with funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Connect to Work supports people with disabilities, health conditions and other disadvantages to find and stay in work. People on the programme get one-to-one coaching and job matching from employment specialists, while employers can tap

Image shows four people standing on the ERSA stage smiling. They are dressed smartly and at the back of the stage, the finalist's names are projected onto a screen.

Shaw Trust recognised in two award wins at the ERSA Employability Awards

28/11/2025

At this year’s ERSA awards, Shaw Trust was shortlisted for a record-breaking four nominations, and won two: Won: ‘Outstanding Contribution’, for our Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Clifton. Won: ‘Employer Partnership’, for our work with facilities management service, OCS Group. Shortlisted: ‘Partnership and Collaboration’, for our Live Well Kent and Medway support. Shortlisted: ‘Outstanding Participant’, for Jamie Walker, a Kent local supported by IPS. The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) awards are held every year and celebrate the organisations and people

a film by jadu in association with Shaw Trust

Accessibility ‘not a checkbox’: our collaboration on inclusive design

27/11/2025

This month, we collaborated with software provider, Jadu, to raise awareness of digital exclusion through a small film. Together, we’re calling for more organisations to use thoughtful, inclusive design when building online spaces.

Not Generation its time to end the NEET crisis

Our new campaign warns of growing ‘Not Generation’ as we invest £2m in youth pilot project – Who are the ‘Not Generation’?

19/11/2025

Our #NotGeneration campaign has launched on 19 November 2025, raising awareness of the growing number of young people who aren’t earning or learning. Labelled ‘NEET’ – not in education, employment or training – they’re known for what they’re not doing, and are at risk of becoming the ‘Not Generation’.

two people putting together a puzzle - social impact investing

By care leavers, for care leavers: New programme in Ealing and Harrow targets cliff-edge

07/10/2025

Care leavers in Ealing and Harrow have joined forces with Shaw Trust Foundation, the West London Alliance, and Ealing and Harrow councils, to co-design a new programme of support for young people in care.

Connect to Work… Six months in!

25/09/2025

What does it really take to get Connect to Work off the ground and delivering impact quickly? Working with West London Alliance (WLA), we’ve been leading the way with the first Connect to Work programme to launch. We’re now six months in, and we’re already proving what’s possible with hundreds of people (and counting) joining the programme. This means more people starting and staying in work, improving their wellbeing and earning.As the UK’s largest IPS provider outside the NHS, we