Shaw Trust and CDG announce feasibility review into working more closely together

Two of the UK’s leading employment support charities, Shaw Trust and Careers Development Group (CDG) have today announced the commission of an independent feasibility review to explore working more closely together, which could lead to a merger of the two organisations.

The aim of the review is to explore if and how the two charities could together serve more workless people, including those with disabilities and those at disadvantage within society, to help them overcome the barriers they face in finding and staying in work. Working together would build on the individual strengths and experience the organisations both have.

John Briffitt, Chairman of Shaw Trust, said: “For the last thirty years, Shaw Trust has worked at the heart of the community; helping thousands of disabled or disadvantaged people to build confidence, motivation and the skills to find and sustain work. That mission continues but we also fully recognise the ever-growing challenge of delivering vital services to our clients with the realities of a more commercially driven Welfare State.

“We think that a blending of Shaw Trust and CDG may potentially better meet this challenge. With shared values and a common purpose, it may bring about a stronger voice, more innovative services and most importantly, significant benefits for our clients across the UK. We now want to confirm this and await the results of the feasibility review.”

Raoul Pinnell, Chairman of Careers Development Group, said: “The two charities have a similar ethos of care and support for those out of work, but with a slightly different focus in terms of their core customer group. CDG serves people who have been out of work for some time, while Shaw Trust works with people at disadvantage or with disabilities. This means the main programmes each delivers are complementary.

“The Department for Work and Pensions, which commissions us to support people to find and stay in work, rightly continues to demand high levels of performance and efficiency.

“The independent review will help us to conclude whether we can become part of a new force in the sector through the sharing of our experience and skills across a larger footprint. This will benefit more people and allow them to participate fully in society through gaining meaningful work.”

Notes to editors:

About Shaw Trust and Careers Development Group:

Both Shaw Trust and Careers Development Group (CDG) believe that everyone has the right to employment, inclusion and independence, and a society in which employment is available to all.

Shaw Trust (www.shaw-trust.org.uk) started in the village of Shaw in Wiltshire. It was set up originally by five local people to help a small group of individuals achieve their employment aims. All were disabled, but each one had valuable skills and abilities. It became a registered charity in 1982.

Careers Development Group (www.cdguk.org) started in Wandsworth, London. The organisation was founded by several members of Wandsworth Council to specifically work with those who had been unemployed for a significant period of time. It became a registered charity in 1982.

Shaw Trust is now a national charity which last year supported 69,000 disabled and disadvantaged people to prepare for work, find jobs and live more independently. It is the UK’s largest third sector provider and one of the Government’s lead partners in the delivery of employment programmes for disabled and disadvantaged people.

CDG is a leading welfare to work charity with nearly 30 years’ experience of helping people find and stay in work. The charity supported 27,000 people in 2010/11 on their journey into work and has over 300 staff and operates from 22 centres.

Shaw Trust employs some 1,000 staff and works across the UK. It has a successful track record in delivering government programmes – from Pathways to Work, Flexible New Deal and New Deal for Disabled People to Work Choice and Work Programme – runs 47 retail outlets, owns and operates 14 enterprises that support disabled and disadvantaged people into employment, work placements or volunteering, and works with national and local employers to find the vacancies into which our clients can grow and flourish. In addition to its work across the UK, Shaw Trust operates in partnership with Intergracja in Poland and Motivation in Romania and merged with Interwork in Australia in 2009.

CDG is one of only two third sector prime providers in the UK delivering the Work Programme (London East) – the government’s main back to work scheme. As a key part of a strategic alliance with MAXIMUS Employment & Training it also delivers the Work Programme in London West and the South East (Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight), as well as being a delivery partner for Avanta in Sussex. The charity is also Work Choice prime provider through its partnership with WISE Employment. It has an international presence through its partnership with BEST community development in Australia.

As part of its charitable and public benefit, CDG launched the Expert Volunteer Initiative in 2010 and CDG Volunteers in 2011, to help give further support to people wanting to find and stay in work by tapping into the expertise of people wanting to give something back. Shaw Trust also uses volunteers with its extensive social programmes related to assisting people into employment.

Further information:

Shaw Trust
Kate Groves, Head of PR:
(t) 01225 716300
(m) 07595 214649 
(e) kate.groves@shaw-trust.org.uk

Careers Development Group
Mark Brooks, Head of Communications
(t) 0300 247 2014
(m) 07766 197727
(e) mark.brooks@cdguk.org

Shaw Trust

Registered Office: Shaw House, Epsom Square, White Horse Business Park, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 OXJ.

Registered Charity Number in England & Wales: 287785,

Registered Charity Number in Scotland: SC039856


Careers Development Group

Registered Office: Carlton Plaza, 111 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 2TJ.

Registered Charity Number: 285251

Registered Company Number 1647371

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