Shaw Trust Reviews 

My experience was extremely disappointing. My employment adviser was highly unprofessional. He frequently scheduled meetings but failed to show up, sometimes giving a 10-minute notice and other times no notice at all, showing zero respect for my time. Eventually, he just ghosted me completely.
The few meetings that did happen were useless. The adviser only glanced at my CV and offered no real support, guidance or job opportunities. It felt like a complete waste of time.

Shaw Trust is one of the least effective organizations for job progress, especially for individuals with dyslexia. They primarily focus on receiving government funding but do not provide the necessary support to help people return to work and maintain employment.

I have disabilities and the advisor was meant to have 30 minutes a week with me to help me through whilst I was at work and to help keep me in work. However, this ended up being the best of 5 minutes every month. They were meant to help me with staying in work and keeping me well whilst at work and also how to cope. I got nothing out of it.

I've had help,but ì definitely wouldn't recommend. I'm asking for a reference and no one has responded. It means I probably won't be able to start my job

What an amazing experience I had with Shaw Trust. I am currently on the lets talk employment programme. I was very hesitant at first to join the programme as I have been on many before and found them unhelpful.

My advisor was somebody called Sukhjit Dosanjh and from our very first meeting the rapport was incredible. He was very patient with me and took the time to understand the complex nature of my mental health and he showed nothing but respect and encouragement in every meeting. I would annoy him with 10 different versions of my CV but he would call me as soon as he had a chance to go over things and made me feel like I had a friend not just an advisor.

He helped me with interview preparation and even called me on the morning of my interview to say good luck and called me after to ask how it went. I was successful in the role and I cant thank Sukh enough for what he has given me.

I wish I could thank him personally. I know a lot of people in those section have had indifferent experiences but believe me if you get a chance to have an advisor like I had then you wont be let down.

I notice you reply to each and every review on here so could you please make sure Sukhjit receives his praise

I can't speak highly enough of the support I've received from Harminder. He was so understanding and provided constructive advice. He has supported me through some dark times when I found my employment come to a unexpected end. He instilled a vision of stoicism. And made me see I can't change the past only learn from it but don't dwell on it. My initial job search was unproductive. Harminder made me see what I'm capable of and I've had employers phone me as well as being put on the right track to get a job that will make me feel valued. Thank you Shaw trust. I have recommended your services to a number of friends how are struggling moving on from their current job because they are struggling with depression and they think the same treadmill is better than change.

I had a deeply disappointing experience with Shaw Trust. From the start, I felt singled out by a manager who seemed to focus more on my mental health than offering the support I needed. During one of our sessions, I made a Freudian slip and said something she considered rude, and that seemed to be enough for her to judge me harshly. I was unfairly kicked out of the program with no explanation, and I was left feeling like I’d been punished for something trivial.

The support promised by Shaw Trust was severely lacking. They claimed they would help with job searches, but there was no assistance in that area whatsoever. They also promised to offer relevant courses, but when I suggested courses that could help, they were all dismissed without a second thought.

To make matters worse, the environment felt inappropriate at times. I had to sit through advisors discussing personal, age-related sexual issues, which was uncomfortable and unprofessional. It seemed like the focus was more on personal gossip than on helping participants.

When I shared that I had mental health challenges, I was lumped together with another person who had similar issues, with no regard for the fact that our experiences were completely different. It felt like they didn’t see me as an individual at all.

Overall, Shaw Trust was a waste of time. They offered no real help, disregarded my needs, and provided an uncomfortable and unprofessional environment. I would strongly advise against wasting your time with them. I'm still unemployed.

I was made redundant by the Shaw Trust and requested my pension contributions be refunded to me because I'd worked for the organisation for a short period of time. I was informed that I would have to wait until I was 55 years old in order to request the money be paid to me (which was incorrect). Upon reaching the age of 55 I requested the pension contributions be repaid to me only to be told by the Shaw Trust that the organisation no longer had my details. I was out of work and needed every penny I could get my hands on. The Shaw Trust either lied to me or demonstrated extreme incompetence.

My experience of the work well programme is that it is shocking, insensitive, superior, aggressive, patronising and degrading of disabled people -the issue for disabled people. How is this a charity protecting and speaking for disabled people? Having had so many problematic experiences as someone with a disability I didn’t think I could still be shocked. I tried to escalate my concerns but the line manager was equally rude and patronising and tried to turn it into the issue being with me, making it doubly unpleasant. I think the issue is structural- looking at the number of poor reviews on here.

I can’t comment on the service the Shaw Trust provides to service users, but the member of staff on duty in their charity shop this afternoon (April 1st 2025) at St. Michael’s, Bemerton Heath, Salisbury, who received my donation of some books, DVDs and bric-a-brac (their stock in trade) as though I’d plonked a bag of dog poo in front of her, has ensured that the Shaw Trust will not be benefitting from my de-cluttering again! It’s a shame that the Shaw Trust has taken over the premises from the Trussell Trust, whose staff were always welcoming and gave the impression that they were actually pleased to receive stuff to sell. I would stress that the volunteers are probably the same, but the paid staff, of whom this person was one, have changed….for the worse. She is obviously an unhappy woman, but people in customer facing roles need to be
properly trained in how to interact with others politely, whatever else is going on in their lives, or if they can’t, maybe not work in a customer facing role?

AWFUL AWFUL service Health and work programme needs a MAJOR improvement or to be shut down entirely.
There is no tailored support around individuals with neurodiversity or mental health needs. There is no structured goals, work coach Wendy was late or forgot about appointments, appointments where often made during office closing times for 9am the following day without appropriate time to confirm availability for next day. Lack of content to follow up emails. Sending an email with just a link attached is not structured goals and support. Very lazy and disappointing.
Now i have the right support from another local service I feel heard, supported, accommodated, have structure and helpful content in follow up emails.

Was referred to Shaw trust by my coach worker for help with obtaining my ID like provisional licence or more ideally a passport to improve the odds of getting work. At the beginning it was okay they were meant to place me on some course that never happened also was meant to help with the ID that never happened I spend nearly a year there just to sit on a chair for 2 minutes to hear of support I ain't getting. I started to feel like I was just a pay check for Shaw trust while receiving very little support.

Irina Cassoneca is avoiding me and Anglia rider training and does not call back and her manager does not call this is ridiculous for company and I'm going to call head office at 9 and complain about her

The place is absolutely lovely and the service is impeccable, but I spent a fortune to be here and they don't heat the pool. It is absolutely freezing. So that beautiful infinity pool that they show you in pictures to entice you to book, it's absolutely useless. I have never been more disappointed or felt like I wasted more money in my life

I was with them for nearly a year, and in that time did i get any advice, guidance or any suggestions NO. On one occaison i was not notified where the meeting was going to take place. I would like to say it was okay to a certain point but i would like to politely ask DO NOT CONTACT ME, DO NOT EMAIL or contact me, and please do not use my google mail address as i NEVER gave it to you!!

Promised me all sorts but then they would cancel events. Incompetent - they were vague and advice was inconsistent. They would forget to do referrals. The Health people's only advice is to see your GP so don't see the point of the Health and Wellbeing checks. Have to discuss mental health issues in an open office with other staff and clients listening in and commentating. Told I just needed to cheer up. Told everything would be better - you can't say that, you don't know it will. My problems were trivialised.

I was accosted in a job centre. Told them I didn't really feel I warranted their help. However was assured it would be beneficial.

I have mental health issues and look after my mum. I had to rearrange an appointment, then sadly had to have my cat put down.

The person I had been assigned took the stance well if your not taking this seriously or my time is valuable and so on.

Nevermind the fact I've just sat an witnessed someone take my cat's life. Not once did she offer condolences just thought her time was more valuable than mine.

Absolutely disgusting service from a company supposedly with their only aim to help people.

Absolutely shocking and disgusting treatment.

I also have been hounded to leave feedback after already doing so.

If you didn't like what I put the first time maybe you should of left it at that.

DO NOT CONTACT ME. DO NOT PHONE ME. DO NOT EMAIL ME.

Shawtrust, the place that is meant to be focused on those with extra needs, would switch my manager without any notice, as well as providing little to no support. The only thing I can praise is the help with reimbursement of train tickets for job interviews.

I was removed from the programme with no warning for reaching the maximum time (1 year). Not once was a maximum duration mentioned to me.
And in this entire year, did they send or provide me with a single job opportunity to apply for, or a single piece of advice? No, not once.

Been out of work for over a year I suffer Anxiety attacks they always did help with travel but now I have 2 job interviews I have asked for help for tickets but been cut of and no contact back. I've also asked for interview training and was offered that they would go round local places and that never happened. No money nearly homeless and if I do get a job it won't be worth starting because I have no money for Travel. I am stuck they want you to work but don't help or support you

I have been unemployed for over a year and am disabled. I was offered the help of Shawtrust via the Job Center and said yes immediately to any additional support I could be given. The offices are based in a library on the 1st floor. So a charity that helps disabled people is located in a building you cannot access. First meeting was, truthfully, awful and was given the following from my case manager "I'm a difficult case, never had anyone on my list who cannot manage stairs and WFH roles don't exist and that she would be given a rough ride from management as to why I was going for roles that were office based. I should go back and get signed off by the doctors" This delayed my application for Uni credit by months, also I want to work! She never asked for what jobs id gone for, she never told me when our next meeting was, id get a random text late afternoon about meeting the next day. Gave me 1 potential job that was based in an office 5 days a week. This charity is awful and I have parted ways, I need help not hassle from a supposed charity. AVOID