Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire

Who we are

“I am in awe of their collective minds and hopeful hearts. Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire is a power house and it feels like my second home.” - Stephanie Wong, founder of Act Build Change 

“Grapevine is a fantastic organisation - bold, innovative and caring. It manages to balance positive outcomes for individuals and communities with system change - a very rare thing.” - Tim, Community Leader

Grapevine is an award-winning charity with expertise in helping communities across Coventry and Warwickshire to take collective action and create their futures.

Our mission has three strands but one thread runs through everything we do: bringing those who are marginalised into the centre of their communities and helping them influence their life and community. 

Our approach is built on 21 years of curiosity, experimentation and observing emerging practices across the world. It has become a nationally acclaimed example of how people in communities can meet each other’s needs. In 2019 we won the Small Charities Big Impact Award and West Midlands Service Excellence Award. We are accredited community organising trainers and one of 10 UK Social Action Hubs for the national Community Organisers. 

We’re willing to be bold, remove the box and bring edge-based solutions into the middle.

Working for us

We offer a friendly workplace with a strong culture of helping people uncover their potiential. We’re committed to diversity and inclusion in our team and across our work, treating every person we meet as an individual with unique passions and skills.

In addition to our ethos, our employee benefits include:

• Flexible working
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (for full-time roles, pro rata for part-time)
• Stakeholder pension scheme plus eight per cent employeer contribution.

Meet the Grapevine team

Here’s what some members of our team have to say about working for Grapevine. We look forward to getting to know you too!

“I came to Grapevine as a service user, I grew to believe in their work and saw how much it helped our family to grow and change our thinking.” (Mel Smith, Grapevine Deputy CEO)

“Our jobs are so varied. Seeing people achieve things that either they thought they wouldn’t be able to or were told by society they couldn’t. I can’t help but miss people when they move on to great things but I know it’s because they feel confident to do it without our support and that’s great.” (Molly Gillespie)

“I’m proud of the difference Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire is trying to make in a UK that just keeps getting tougher for vulnerable people.” (Andrea Mbarushimana,  from Help and Connect)

Our culture and values

Our Core Beliefs

1. People-Led Change
We believe that those who face challenges are best positioned to lead the solutions. By placing individuals at the heart of our initiatives, we ensure that change is meaningful and sustainable.

2. Strengths-Based Approach
Every individual possesses unique talents and aspirations. We focus on uncovering and nurturing these strengths, transforming perceived needs into valuable assets.

3. Power of Connection
Strong, supportive relationships are the foundation of thriving communities. We facilitate connections that foster mutual support, resilience, and collective growth.

4. Community Leadership
We aim to shift power dynamics by enabling communities to address their challenges and advocate for change, fostering  agency and building leadership.

5. Continuous Learning and Adaptation
Our work is guided by curiosity and a commitment to learning. We embrace experimentation and adapt our methods to meet evolving needs effectively.

How We Work

1. Person-centred, relationship-driven. You’ll work with people, not for them, starting from their own goals and assets.

2. High trust, shared accountability. Teams set their own course, make decisions close to the action and own the results together.

3. Reflective practice baked in. Regular peer learning sessions, supervision that feels like coaching, and “learning huddles” after key milestones keep us sharp.

4. “Gentle agitation” culture. We trouble unhelpful assumptions — inside the organisation and in the wider system — with respect and curiosity.

5. Flexible and human-centred. Blended working, adjustable hours and family-friendly policies recognise that life is messy and people are whole.

6. System-level ambition. Alongside one-to-one and community organising projects, you’ll join colleagues in influencing public services and policy inside and outside of our place so change lasts.

What This Means for You

• Freedom with support – You’ll shape your own projects but never feel alone.

• A place to grow – From day-one shadowing to “Changemaker” training, personal development is a shared priority.

• Belonging – We value the “human complications and messiness” everyone brings; diversity, equity and inclusion are lived, not laminated.

• Real impact – Your work will help people and communities in Coventry and Warwickshire unlock power, opportunity and connection.

If you’re excited by purpose-led work, comfortable with honest reflection, and believe that relationships change everything, we’d love you to explore a career with Grapevine.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At Grapevine Coventry and Warwickshire, fairness and inclusion are part of who we are - who we have always been right back to our origins as a disability charity. We want every person connected to us, whether you're a member of staff, a volunteer, or someone who uses our services, to feel respected, valued and able to be themselves.

We actively seek out people from all backgrounds, listen to different voices, and remove barriers that stand in the way of equal opportunity. We challenge discrimination wherever we see it – not just the obvious kinds, but also subtle or unintentional unfairness that can creep into decisions or behaviours.

We’re committed to treating everyone with dignity, whether it’s during recruitment, staff development, team interactions or service delivery. Everyone here is responsible for helping to create an inclusive environment – one where people feel safe to speak up, take part, and thrive.

We also take practical steps: we monitor our services and workforce diversity, offer training on equality and inclusion, and adapt how and where we work to meet people’s needs as best we can. If someone experiences discrimination, we take it seriously and act on it.

Ultimately, we’re working towards a culture where inclusion and equality are embedded in everything we do – not just because it’s the right thing, but because it makes our work better, our teams stronger, and our impact greater.