Graft Thames Valley is a small but dynamic charity that aims to eradicate barriers to employment for disabled, neurodiverse or otherwise disadvantaged people struggling to find work.
Our joint tailored training and “end-to-end” support approach creates a programme designed entirely around our clients’ own needs and ability.
We help with CV writing, job searching, work experience placements, one to one support as well as work-related training courses.
Our services are entirely free of charge and confidential.
We work with our clients on a one-to-one basis, setting agreed goals for the client to achieve to improve their employability, adopting a holistic and “stepping stone” approach to progress them into employment. We aim to eradicate these barriers to employment by providing tailored support, information, advice and guidance to meet the needs, ability and aspirations of each individual.
We focus on ‘ability’ not ‘disability’. We can research and source suitable courses, training, voluntary work opportunities, work-experience placements and job vacancies. We also work with employers to not only create sustainable work opportunities but to support the employer to support the client with sustaining and retaining their employment. Graft Thames Valley also provides a support package to local employers to recruit and retain a diverse workforce.
GRAFT'S HISTORY
Graft has been supporting disadvantaged job seekers in Reading since 2003. In the beginning, Graft was a project within Reading Borough Council. Our original remit was to co-ordinate the activities of disability support groups that engaged with the local authority’s “Ways into Work” programme. This is conducted by bringing the groups together to create a forum where they could share information and promote the benefits of engaging a diverse workforce to local employers.
By 2005-2007 Graft was receiving requests for support outside our original remit. To respond to the growing need for support, we decided to become an independent resisted charity in order to widen our area of reach.
In 2008, Graft launched itself as Graft Thames Valley limited. This allowed us to deliver our services across the Thames Valley and to work in partnership with other service providers.
Today, thanks to the successful Fusion programme (with 54% of participants in employment at the end of the programme) that ran between August 2020 and August 2021, we are growing our own training propositions and are working towards becoming an accredited training provider.