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Authored by Julie Leonard, Chief Impact Officer at Shaw Trust. Julie has extensive experience working with local and central government to design and deliver programmes that drive social-economic impact. She leads on impact reporting and strategy at Shaw Trust, and oversees the Shaw Trust Foundation. This piece was originally published in The MJ.The current pictureThe weekly headlines on the rising NEET numbers show the need for bolder solutions. We talk of a million young people “falling through the cracks”. Within that group is a rising subset that current policy considerations and investment are unlikely to reach. Yes, removing the minimum wage rises will help

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

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

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

This report reviews the employment and wellbeing outcomes of 19,000+ people who have participated in our IPS employment support programmes which link work and health. We also share our insights from the frontline of delivering IPS, our impact to date and our recommendations for commissioners.