History and methods of The Prince's Trust

Set up in 1976 by the Prince of Wales, The Prince’s Trust is a charity that works with disadvantaged young people aged 14 to 30. One in five young people in the UK are not involved in work, education or training, and it is this significant minority that The Prince’s Trust targets. It employs 700 staff and over 7,000 volunteers and spends over £40 million a year on its charitable projects – its corporate sponsors include the European Social Fund and the Home Office.

It provides financial support and practical skills development to people who have been underperforming in education, been in fostering and childcare or been in trouble with the law – its activities include cash awards for individuals and funding and advising young people in small businesses and community projects. An example of the latter is the innovative ‘Team’ initiative, where a group of young people are given a twelve week community project, such as the re-decoration of a local hall, which they fundraise for and organise themselves. At the end of the project they receive a nationally recognised Certificate in Personal, Team Work and Community Skills.

Working in partnership with organisations such as the Fire Service, The Royal Bank of Scotland and numerous FE colleges, the Prince’s Trust claims a high rate of success, with 70,000 young people set up in business since 1983 and more than 550,000 helped since its foundation. When quizzed on his reasons for setting up the trust, the Prince of Wales stated that: “It would be criminally negligent of me to go around this country and not actually want to try and do something about what I find there.”

Find out more at: www.princes-trust.org.uk.