ABOUT US

CDG is a dynamic charity that seeks to help those who are unemployed find and sustain meaningful employment.

Many of the people we support have multiple barriers to employment, including lack of recent work experience, disabilities, health problems and lack of relevant employability skills, to name a few. We provide training, work experience and the support necessary to enable our customers to achieve a better quality of life.

Within CDG’s spread of welfare to work contracts are a full range of back to work activities, including:

• Job search
• Job brokerage
• Work experience placements
• Environmental and community sector placements
• Vocational qualifications
• Information advice and guidance
• Pre-employment training
• Motivation and confidence building
• Literacy and numeracy skills (including ESOL).

Our wide range of contracts support people aged between 16 and 64, with some specifically aimed at people with disabilities, lone parents, black and minority ethnic groups and other socially disadvantaged groups.

To find out more about our service provision and quality, contact us at info@cdguk.org or by calling 020 7811 3131.


Our history
CDG was initially established as Wandsworth Training Agency in 1982. Youth training, funded by government and Wandsworth Borough Council, was the main focus. In 1989 CDG started to deliver employment services contracts, then known as job clubs, which eventually became programme centres.

By the late 1990s changes in government thinking towards the welfare to work agenda led to the further development of CDG. In 1998, CDG became a New Deal provider.

CDG entered the new century with a major expansion with New Deal contracts. These were effective across London, alongside expansion into Northamptonshire. Specialist provision also started with ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), job brokerage and ESF training at Heathrow airport.

2006 saw further massive growth when CDG won four New Deal prime contracts plus ESF in the east of England, working in partnership with other providers.

CDG is now one of the leading welfare to work charities, with some 300 staff and working with over 33,000 customers a year.