Shaw Trust Reviews 

I remember our first meeting back in November 2021 when I was such an emotional wreck with zero confidence, however gradually as the weeks went by with your an imaginable support I was able to dig myself from the dark hole I was in.

You (Kate) has been such a great support to myself and you most definitely help me to regain my confidence and make me believe I could do this and yes look at me now.

I couldn't ask for a better person to help me with my ordeal, you have made me believe there's light at the end of tunnel and truly so there is.

Kate you are truly a remarkable lady with a good heart, positive attitude and great ability of thought and understanding about one's feelings.

If I have to rate you, I will give you 10 out of 10 without any form of hesitation.

What can I say about you Kate, keep doing what you doing and certainly you will recognised by the organisation. You will always have my vote and you will always have a special place in my heart.

I went in to the programme thinking that it was just going to be more of the same false promises. I was pleasantly surprised and found everyone to be helpful and knowledgable. The help I was given was world class and I am very grateful.

I have been with Shaw Trust for a little while before doing my job now and they was absolutely amazing, they helped me out where I needed help and managed to get me into employment and have helped me with all the processes that was needed for the job role also and after I started well deserved 5 stars
From S.W

I worked at the trust for 11 months and i have mever seen a charity so off path of that which they claim to do.
On the front it's glitchy and professional and on the back end when you get to see the grime it is staking. I intend to not only go to the tribunal, possibly the papers , but to report some of the organisations they work with that are treating vulnerable people like a frsiby.
What they did to me was stalking and I also will speak with the DWP as Shaw Trust messed up and I was the one who was the sacrificial lamb at a time when my family was at one of its most vulnerable stages.
As a charity, the focus is only on the stakeholders and profits, Advisers are overworked, some conplain of not even having time to gave lunch. Some managers are heartless and lack diplomacy and HR sucks they are not objective.
A toxic place to work.

You are bombarded by the system with reminders about appointments the day before, but appointments are made and confirmed "with your approval" even though you know nothing about them - I questioned this but it was dismissive. Apparently staff are too busy to send us messages.
Portal doesn't work properly and the job hub is inaccessible. Job links don't work.
I attempted to phone them and left hanging on 40 minutes with the robot telling me I was 1st in the queue. Eventually someone on another number said it wasn't working - try updating the website then!
I advised I was removing myself after a month as it wasn't compulsory I be on program and the program wasn't working, to which I've been threatened with being reported to dwp! I've also been told by a supervisor "It's too much work to do to remove you from the program" and to also take the negative reviews with a pinch of salt. I read the reviews which is similar to my experiences with the Trust, so I speak as I find.
Job centre say this program is not compulsory but there to help me - a month in and it did nothing, so all It's done is waste my time.
Job centres need to stop referring jets/shaw trust.

For almost a decade I was jobless and felt completely unemployable and resigned to a bleak future, if any. My Universal Credit work coach let me know about Shaw Trust so I signed up with their JETS program, and after years of unemployment it only took a number of weeks with their teams to find me a job offer - I started my first job in years this week because of all of their hard work, guidance and teaching

I have been supported by Shaw Trust for many months. I have much gratitude and am so thankful for all of the help I have received. The employee I have direct contact with, is a lovely man named Anthony Sadler. Anthony had provided me with outstanding professional guidance and reassurance during my time trying to get back into employment, following difficult circumstances. Anthony is an understanding and caring person and has helped me rebuild my confidence. Anthony clearly has a passion for his work and I believe him to be an absolute asset to your company and I appreciate everything he has done for me. I would highly recommend Shaw Trust.

The Shaw Trust helped me so much not just in finding work but in getting courses to help me in life generally. My advisor was incredible couldn't do enough for me was very professional but was always at hand to listen to my problems . 5 star in The Shaw Trust and my advisor

My journey with ShawTrust is rather emotional. Before I came in touch with ShawTrust I had been applying almost every jobs I could see anywhere since 2019 but for some reason my luck wasn’t favouring me at all. Then JC introduced ShawTrust to me.

The first day when my Employment Advisor Ben Ward called me and said he would be with me for 182 days. Then to be very honest I was very reluctant and apprehensive at the same time, I had no choice but to accept it, Bcz I was lingering on a hope to be employed. Then they put me through lots of trainings some of them were fruitful some of them were not but I was still hanging in there in thread of hope.
I went through couple of job interviews and finally got selected for DWP job. But again my luck had different wish and that job couldn’t start due to some apparent technical reasons which was supposedly to start from mid December 2021. And postponed to start from mid Jan 2022 and then from there late February 2022 (I am still waiting for the confirmed date).
Meanwhile, I was going through one hell of emotional upheavals & mental trauma, instability and financial problems.

However, Ben Ward, my Employment Advisor supported me throughout those unbearable days, tirelessly he and his team chased that company and after 2 months got me another temporary job until I start the DWP job, for which my Employment Advisor Ben Ward is still chasing that Company.
And one day when I got an email stating that I have completed 182 days with ShawTrust and my journey ends there then suddenly I had lumps in my throat and eyes were brimming with tears as if part of myself is leaving me right there.
So that’s my story with ShawTrust. Ben Ward was so supportive and encouraging throughout and filled lots of hope into my otherwise almost lost confidence. Even after completing 182 days Ben still was in touch and asking about my new job and progress.
I wish Ben Ward and his team all the success & happiness of the world. I can’t thank them enough for making me feel alive again. GRATEFUL!!! 😇😇😇😇🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

This company doesn't even deserve 1 star. They are a sham company and made zero effort in supporting me find employment. Service and job opportunities are a joke!! Appreciate there may be a couple of good staff members who are holding them up but as a company they couldn't care less about finding you work - the sooner the government stop using them the better. It's a waste of public funds. Also check out their reviews from staff - they are even worse!!!

Edit - Shaw Trust your reply is garbage and only a show for the public - your company was not interested when I complained directly, nor did they do anything about it. I eventually disengaged from your programme because of which. I stand by my comment so please don't patronize me with your false considerations!

Would like to say a massive thank you to emma fitchett absolute star helping me with everything only 82 days with u and 2 jobs thank u

I would like to make a formal complaint about Samantha Nash. Ive been apart of Shaw trust for over 210 days and in that time Ive not got anywhere other than being put on courses that have not helped me. The last one I went on gave the promise that I will be in paid work within 2 months. This was also said to universal credit work coach, when the course ended I was right back where I started. Ive seen many job opportunities arise while being on this contract, but yet seen each one pass me by with the same words being uttered by Sam ‘There just giving you false hope and get your hopes up so there is no point’.
So I go back to job hunting still getting nowhere fast. It feels like I'm running an endless labyrinth with no way out or end in sight with the promise to one day get a job but yet all I get is lies disguised as the truth. I stay ever vigilant that one day someone will hear this and I can be taken off this contact or finally get a job so again I can come off this contract as it’s not working for me and I’m not getting anywhere but endless courses that lead to nothing. I’m getting so frustrated so the longer I’m out of work the less likely someone with take the chance to employ me. If I try and look at other opportunities with different schemes like kick starter I’m told I can’t apply due to double funding and I’ve missed out on some opportunities that could get me into work instead of wasting my life away at home.
I have been told I can’t come off this contract even though it’s not working for me, I’m not getting anywhere and now me and the work coach at Shaw Trust are not able to work toghter anymore. I would ideally like to finish this contract that is useless to me and stop working with Shaw Trust.

Edit: just wondering if there has been an update to my formal complaint

I've been reading some of the reviews on here and am happy to say my experience with the Shaw Trust has been a really excellent one. I spoke with Daniel Richards and the advice he's provided has been fantastic - really in depth, totally specific to my situation and a real help. I feel really fortunate to have been put in touch.

After 6 months, I am fortunate enough to finally be free of Shaw Trust. Most of my time on Shaw Trust’s JETS programme revolved around taking part in Microsoft Teams meetings (usually run by a company called Enable), many of which are only marginally useful at best.

Shaw sent me on a lot of so called “job clubs”, where the host would effectively just do a job search in my local area, and send me jobs to apply for. Literally just an Indeed search that you could, and probably do, do yourself (and you'll have probably already applied for some of the jobs they find, as was the case with many other people attending these sessions).

The session hosts don’t seem to have much knowledge of my local area. For example, there are several places in the UK with the same name as my town. The hosts would often tell me about a job with some company I’d never heard of, then when I search for this place, it’s in a town with the same name, about 200 miles away from me. I’m willing to travel for work, but not that blooming far!

Shaw also has a tendency to book you on for sessions, without checking if it’s convenient for you. On one occasion, I was booked on for a session at the same time as my jobcentre appointment. I’ve also had issues with Shaw either not sending me a link to a session I was booked on for, or emailing me the wrong link to a session, leaving me to sit in the Microsoft Teams room for over an hour, only to be marked down as “did not attend” on the Shaw Trust portal. Received no response when I contacted my advisor about this either.

Overall, I had a miserable time with Shaw Trust, and I still haven’t received an apology from the Enable woman who slagged me off to Shaw Trust, saying that the minor breathing difficulties I was suffering from, because my asthma was playing up, was me yawning throughout the session, nor have I received an apology from my Shaw Trust advisor Nicola Shaw, who accused me of sounding “fed up” (her exact words) whenever she rang, despite me taking part in every Enable session she sent me on, and doing everything expected of me in terms of looking for work. In my view, that was a deeply unprofessional comment from someone who is presumably meant to help you back into work. Does she expect long term unemployed people to sound ridiculously happy when she rings up?! Also, if you miss an Enable session because they aren’t helping you find a job, they chalk that up as you just "couldn't be bothered" to attend.

These comments left me in fear of Shaw Trust’s calls, but I stayed with them, in fear of what the job centre would have done if I left. I would strongly advise anyone reading this review, who might have been told about Shaw by the Jobcentre, to avoid them at all cost, if at all possible. Having been unemployed for a long time, I’ll be the first to admit that I could do with some sort of help in figuring out why employers won’t hire me, but I can confidently say Shaw Trust isn’t it. Minus 1 star if I could!

Finally, there are some very bizarre 5 star reviews on here, referencing somebody called “Daniel Richards”, who is never mentioned in the 1 star reviews. Based on my experience, I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t actually exist. No doubt Lisa will be along shortly to "correct" the record!

Having been out of work for some months, I was referred to Shaw Trust. They were FANTASTIC!!
They offered lots of different courses and within no time at all, found me my perfect job!
Great advise, great people :)

I had a run in with one of their work coaches while extremely ill and asked to make an official complaint. The advisor spoke to my UC job coach to try and circumvent and would not give me the appropriate information to make an official complaint, trying to wiggle out of being accountable. I will be contacting several directors via LinkedIn to proceed with my complaint against this advisor.

Shaw Trust have a range of services that truly help you get back to work. Although, the true hero in my experience of the service was my Job Advisor who had the experience and skills to build an effective relationship to keep me motivated and confident in finding work.

This service has been invaluable. Daniel Richards has been an incredible support over the past couple of months. Initially I didn't think the service would be of use but after a change of circumstances I reached out to Daniel and he has since provided some great advice. He is hugely knowledgeable, sensible and unbiased in his feedback whilst making you feel at ease. He has also been really prompt in responding to my calls and emails. I wouldn't have got through a difficult period at work without this service and highly recommend it.

I was initially very dubious about what I could expect from Shaw Trust, my belief being that I'd feel forced to attend courses that wouldn't in any way support my particular set of needs, and I felt frustrated. However, after engaging with my work coach Michael McClean, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they really are more than an organisation geared towards forcing people to take work that's unsuitable for them. My experience was a really positive one, in that Michael really took the time to get to know me as a person, as well as acknowledging my current struggles. He genuinely listened and acknowledged what I was going through and took the time to validate my feelings.
He made suggestions towards courses that (even though I initially felt they were below my level of experience) were in fact invaluable refreshers, that any of us at any level would do no harm in revisiting.
I'm surprised to read some of the reviews I see here and feel beyond fortunate to have been supported by Michael. I was provided with a tablet to use when my own laptop crashed, enabling me to continue with my work searches.
Michaels support gave me back my confidence, reinvigorated my belief in myself and encouraged me to keep moving forward.

I joined the Shaw Trust as my work coach recommended me to do so as they could help me back into employment, Bad Decision!! They try and get you into any work, quote ' even if its just for one day '. They not interested in your health limitations and would have myself with sever arthritis in both knees and ankles with balance issues working on a building site and pushed me to gain a CSCS card to do so. They did not phone me when arranged and I waited around for hours for calls sometimes days. Then they have the audacity to tell universal credit that I did not take part in the program as I never answered calls , emails or texts, which is totally untrue as I can prove that I was always available. Towards the end of the program I was dreading them calling, I felt sick and anxious and my mental health suffered. Its like they use bully boy tactics to get results. For me it was an unpleasant experience. But by all means give them a try they may be better now and help you, but my advise would be to try another route into employment.