Five of our Steps into Employment students had the incredible opportunity to work at the Wimbledon Championships this year. They were offered paid roles thanks to Work at Wimbledon, an initiative run by the Wimbledon Foundation that offers supported pathways into employment for people facing barriers to getting jobs.
Our students’ Wimbledon journey began well before the tournament. We arranged interview training and they took part in training days with the Wimbledon Foundation to help prepare for the roles on offer.
All that preparation paid off. Anna and Joe joined the Guest Services Team, where they welcomed visitors at the gates, scanning tickets and helping set the tone for a great guest experience. Joe alone scanned an impressive 1,208 tickets in a single day!
Anna-Marie encountered a challenge: some guests found it difficult to hear her over the crowd. But with the help of her employment tutor and her team at Wimbledon, she introduced communication cards, a simple but powerful adjustment that boosted her confidence and helped her connect more easily with visitors.
Reflecting on her experience, Anna-Marie said, ‘My manager was Graham. He made me happy. I went to Graham for help. My colleagues helped me with what to say to visitors, like, "Hello, I need your ID and tickets ready please. Thank you!” And the scanner went beep!’
Shammah took on a role as a retail assistant in one of the shops. Although he was nervous at first, he quickly settled in, telling us, ‘I had a fun time at Wimbledon. Lovely people there. I hope to do it next year’.
He was especially appreciative of the support he received from colleagues, ‘They took time to know me. They’re really nice...they were supportive. They helped me learn how to do things. Some people didn’t like it when I said they couldn’t bring drinks in the shop, but I had people next to me helping me [explain] why I was saying that.’
One of Shammah’s key takeaways?
‘I learned how to work in a busy environment. It gets busy in the shop so easy.’
This experience has been a fantastic step forward for our students, giving them the chance to build skills, grow in confidence, and show what’s possible with the right preparation and support. We’re incredibly proud of them, and we look forward to seeing where their employment journeys take them next.
We’ve launched a new weekly wellbeing session for our students called Mindful Moments — a space designed to support emotional health through mindfulness, meditation, and sensory activities. The sessions create a calm, welcoming environment where our students can explore tools for managing stress and building emotional resilience.
Held in our immersive 4D learning space, the sessions make full use of the room’s wraparound video and sound technology. Students are surrounded by soothing nature scenes and calming audio, with soft blankets and pillows available to help everyone feel safe and comfortable. Each session begins with a gentle check-in, giving students the option to share how they’re feeling.
The sessions draw inspiration from Metta meditation, also known as loving-kindness meditation, which encourages participants to silently repeat phrases of goodwill and compassion for themselves and others. It’s a simple yet powerful practice that helps nurture self-awareness, empathy, and a sense of emotional connection.
What makes Mindful Moments especially meaningful is that it’s co-created with our students. Early on, they expressed an interest in using sound to help with relaxation, leading to special sessions with Sound Gong practitioners. This collaborative approach ensures the sessions are truly relevant and empowering for everyone involved.
Facilitator of the programme Holly Hudson commented, 'Overall, the Mindful Moments project is providing meaningful and impactful support for students, encouraging emotional expression, relaxation, and a stronger connection to their own wellbeing.' Holly and other tutors and facilitators have noticed the effect of this across all our projects. Holly noted that, 'Staff members and I have witnessed students reminding themselves to breathe throughout the day when they feel dysregulated. This is a lifelong skill that will continue to support them well beyond the classroom. I am incredibly proud of their growth, resilience, and commitment to their own wellbeing.'
One standout moment came from Charlotte, one of our student health and wellbeing ambassadors. After regularly attending the sessions and feeling the benefits, she volunteered to lead part of one herself. Charlotte chose a familiar guided breathing video, positioned herself at the front of the room, and led a calming 15-minute session using body movements to demonstrate each breath. Her leadership created a peaceful atmosphere, and many students joined in with ease.
Afterwards, she told staff, 'I would love to do this again. I want to lead more health and wellbeing activities for my friends. I feel so calm now!'
Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and interest is growing. With support from the group, our next focus will be exploring calming scents as part of the sensory experience.
Mindful Moments is proving to be more than just a weekly session; it’s a valuable and evolving wellbeing tool, empowering students to connect, reflect, and care for themselves in ways that can last a lifetime.
Share has partnered with another charity, The CiaO Foundation, to establish a new programme to support adults with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs develop the skills they need to get into work and live more independently.
Share currently works with 191 students each week across its four sites in Wandsworth and Lambeth. Amongst the courses it provides, which develop employability and independent living skills, are catering, horticulture, digital skills, Steps into Employment, Maths and English.
Currently, just over half of Share’s students take a course that is related to developing the skills and confidence they will need for work, yet there are many societal barriers which impede disabled and autistic adults obtaining and enjoying fulfilling work.
In London, only 5.3% of adults with a learning disability are in paid employment (NHS Digital, Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework, 2022) compared to around 80% of the population without a learning disability. And only 30% of autistic adults work (National Autistic Society).
Share and CiaO have recently partnered to offer scholarships to three Share students, enabling them access to an extra day of training for one day a week, for up to three years. CiaO and its partners, Act 111, Almacantar and London Metric are funding the scholarships over the three year period and will also aim to deepen the partnership through providing volunteering, work experience opportunities, and mentoring.
Abi Carter, CEO of Share Community, said, 'We know that there a lot of stars that need to align to support students into sustainable and enjoyable employment. On top of the practical and technical skills a student needs for a job, they’re likely to need to have the confidence to travel independently and be safe in the community, as well as the emotional tools and resilience to deal with the inevitable challenges that arise in a new environment.'
'Realistically this requires a combination of different programmes and training opportunities, but many of our students only receive funding to attend one or two days a week which means progress towards their goals is not going to happen as quickly as they would like. We believe this additional commitment from CiaO and its generous partners will give three students a significant boost in their efforts to get into work.'
Having received 10 initial applications, three students were selected who are going to use their scholarships to develop their catering or digital skills. Anna-Marie, who is now receiving an extra day of digital skills training thanks to the scholarship said, 'My goal is to work in an office and I feel very happy learning office skills at Share. Thank you for helping me to learn more.'
Andrew Hogge, Chair of the CiaO Foundation, said, 'We are so pleased to have formed this joint initiative with Share which would not have been possible without the generous support of Almacantar, London Metric and Act 111 LLP who are funding the scholarships over the three year period. We look forward to working together with Share, the sponsors and the students to help them achieve their goals to secure employment and to hopefully live more independently, as well as enjoying the new experiences offered by an expanded professional network.'
Lottie Geaves at Almacantar, one of the donors of the scheme said, 'Almacantar is delighted to support the sponsorship programme created between The CiaO Foundation and Share Community. It is fantastic to hear how well the three students, who are benefitting from the extra time at Share, are doing. We can really see how taking the courses on catering and digital skills are boosting the students’ confidence and providing practical tools which will help grow their independence and ultimately develop the skills they need to get into work in the future.'
If you would like to find out more about supporting the scholarship scheme, please email scholarships@sharecommunity.org.uk or info@ciaofoundation.com
As part of our ongoing commitment to promote healthy eating and independence, Share recently hosted a cooking evening at our Clapham Junction catering kitchen. The event brought together our students, along with their parents and carers, for a hands-on session led by chef Tim.
After asking attendees what they’d like to cook, the group settled on chicken and jollof rice. With aprons on and smiles all around, families got stuck into preparing the dish, enjoying a relaxed, friendly atmosphere as they learned new skills side by side.
At the end of the session, everyone shared the delicious results and packed up leftovers to take home. To keep the momentum going, we provided easy read recipes to encourage more home cooking and support continued confidence in the kitchen.
Student Daniela and her mum, Delia, were keen to sign up and enthusiastic participants. Aside from enjoying the session, and Delia getting to see more of what Daniela does at Share, they both said that they learnt more than they were expecting to. ‘I will do more cooking at home now because I have seen that it’s easier if I stay calm,’ Daniela said, ‘I felt safer with my mother and I plan to cook more with her.’
Delia agreed, ‘I loved the cooking class. It’s useful to cook together because we help each other and learn from each other. It has motivated me to do more things with Daniela.’
The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and we’re excited to run more family-friendly cooking sessions in future.
We are looking for a small number of new casual workers to join our staffing bank. These roles are flexible, with shifts offered on an as-needed basis, and represent an excellent opportunity for individuals who want to fit work around other commitments, or supplement other earnings.
We have a number of positions available, including reception and admin-based roles as well as with student facing roles in our classes.
Both roles require a self-motivated, friendly and understanding person who has experience working with adults with disabilities and Autism and can provide support across all of our projects. We can promise you a varied and rewarding role working in a committed and supportive team to help people live more fulfilled lives.
Share is a registered charity and a centre for training and wellbeing. We provide a range of programmes helping adults with learning disabilities, autism and other support needs become more happy, healthy, and independent. Our vision is a world where disabled people are fully included in society, living the life they choose, and we need talented people to help us make that happen.
Joining our team means you’ll be doing work you can be proud of, helping to make sure our charity runs smoothly and keeps supporting people to get the best out of their lives.
All of our roles pay at least the London Living Wage and provide opportunities to gain professional experience in a highly supportive environment. Share is committed to empowering disabled adults. You’ll make a difference every day, helping people to live happier, healthier, and more independent lives.
Our values drive us forward. They provide the framework for everything we do, including who we hire. We believe everyone has something to offer others, and we build on people's individual talents, interests, and abilities. We think happy employees are successful employees.
We hold the gold Investors in People accreditation. This means we truly understand the value of people; we focus on what people can do, not what holds them back. And we have robust policies in place so that every single person working at Share takes ownership for making our programmes come to life.
We’ve been recognised for our supportive working environment where everyone has a voice and is valued. You’ll be surrounded by people who support you, challenge you, and inspire you.
We actively encourage applications from people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and with lived experience of a learning disability and/or autism. This is because we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of our student body wherever possible in order to provide the best possible service.
Please apply at the bottom of this page by submitting a CV as well as answering the below questions:
If you would like to have a chat about the role or visit us prior to applying, please contact a member of the HR team at hradmin@sharecommunity.org.uk.
We focus on ability and believe people work best when they feel valued, safe and happy. We do all that we can to make sure that Share is friendly and welcoming to everyone. All CVs and applications are sanitised to ensure unbiased recruitment, and if you make it to interview stage, some questions will be sent in advance. All applicants who declare a disability and who meet the minimum criteria will be offered an interview.
These roles are subject to two satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and providing evidence of the right to work in the UK. If you have any accessibility needs and would like to discuss other ways of submitting your application, please contact us on 020 7924 2949.
Please view our privacy policy for job applicants.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Students from our Art, Textiles, and Health and Wellbeing programmes have taken part in the Giant Dolls’ House Project — a social arts initiative encouraging people to reflect on their home and environment by making a dolls’ house in a shoebox. Along with 200 people across Wandsworth, 18 Share students had their work featured in the Voices of Wandsworth installation at the Battersea Arts Centre, part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Each shoebox-sized space represents a unique perspective and experience. Linking the boxes with ropes and ladders turns these stories into a tapestry that symbolises community connections.
Led by architect Catja de Haas, the project aims to raise awareness of homelessness and the experience of refugees, and remind us of the importance of a home and community for all.
We first took part in the Giant Dolls' House Project after lockdown, a time when connections and home were especially meaningful. So we were delighted to reconnect with the project and be part of this thought-provoking installation.
We'd like to say a massive congratulations to Share student, Georgia, who completed the TCS London Marathon MyWay in April, finishing with an impressive time of four hours and 40 minutes.
Georgia chose to run in support of Share, raising an incredible £2,521 for our charity! This will make a real difference to the work we do at Share and we're deeply moved by her commitment and generosity.
Running a marathon is no small feat. It takes great strength, a huge amount of dedication, and countless hours of training. Georgia committed wholeheartedly, training weekly with running buddies from her club, Wimbledon Windmilers, and putting in extra miles in her own time.
Reflecting on the marathon, Georgia told us, 'It was a really good day and I really enjoyed the run'. She shared her race-day strategy, explaining how she kept a steady running pace throughout and finished strong with a sprint. Georgia said she felt 'proud and relieved' when she reached the finish line. Thank you Georgia, not only for your generosity to Share but also for inspiring us all through your hard work and determination.
Share has been selected to take part in Culturally Mindful, an innovative professional development programme that brings together global majority creative practitioners, healthcare providers, and grassroots organisations to transform health and wellbeing support in Wandsworth.
Our art facilitator, Mowbray, will attend training sessions and work with an acclaimed artist to co-design culturally competent creative health programmes which we can then deliver to our students.
Funded by the Mayor of London as part of Wandsworth's London Borough of Culture programme, Culturally Minded focuses on developing culturally relevant approaches that make mental health support more accessible and meaningful across Wandsworth's diverse communities.
Eve Bradshaw, Share's Creative Programmes Coordinator commented, 'We at Share Community are absolutely delighted to have been selected to take part in the Culturally Mindful Programme. As a service that aims to empower adults with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health needs, we believe this inspiring initiative will bring immense value to our students, enriching their lives through inclusive, culturally responsive and expressive experiences that promote wellbeing, confidence and joy.'
Two Share students were celebrated at the Wandsworth Moves Together Awards ceremony at the Civic Suite in Wandsworth alongside over 200 people from across the borough, including nominees, local councillors, and representatives from key London sporting organisations. Daniel and Jodie were each shortlisted for the 'Sports Person of the Year' award in recognition of their commitment to physical activity and community spirit.
Previously known as the Active Wandsworth Awards, the event reflects the council’s growing focus on movement to boost wellbeing, encourage physical activity and strengthen communities. The Wandsworth Moves Together initiative, in partnership with Enable Leisure and Culture, also aims to make sport and leisure more accessible and affordable for all.
Daniel has made excellent progress in our sports programme. He's always kind and compassionate to other students, supporting them in sessions and offering great instruction. He's also demonstrated strong skills across a range of sports, including basketball, football, hockey and cricket to name a few.
Jodie has been leading weekly dance fitness sessions at Share Clapham Junction, which have become very popular with both students and staff. She also led a dance fitness warm up at our sports day last year, as well as at our Awards Day, showcasing her passion and confidence.
Congratulations Daniel and Jodie on your amazing achievements. Keep up the good work!
