The PrinceÕs Trust
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who have a good business idea
but are unable to make it a reality
as they have no means of raising
the capital.
The Trust helps make business
dreams come true by offering loans
of up to £5,000 and providing
continued support for the first two
years of trading with a volunteer
PrinceÕs Trust Business Mentor who
provides regular advice. Last year
33 new businesses were started
in Kent and Medway, ranging from
a florist, fashion designer, nail
technician, roofer and electrician.
Team
The TrustÕs 12-week personal
development programme Ð Team Ð
also operates in Kent in Ashford,
Chatham and Northfleet. Team
enables unemployed 16-25 year
olds - to develop their confidence,
motivation and skills through
Youth charity The PrinceÕs Trust
helps change young lives in the
UK. It gives practical and financial
support, developing skills such as
confidence and motivation. It works
with 14-30 year olds who have
struggled at school, have been in
care, are long-term unemployed or
have been in trouble with the law.
Since its launch in 1976, HRH The
Prince of WalesÕs charity has helped
over half a million young people and
continues to support 100 more every
day. Last year 500 young people
from Kent and Medway were helped
to change their lives. Not only did
this support help individuals move
forward with their own lives but
also had a positive knock on effect
improving the local community.
Business Programme
The Business Programme helps
unemployed 18-30 years olds
Sometimes life doesnÕt always turn out how itÕs meant to be.
For some young people, life is a real struggle and a helping
hand is often needed. This is when The PrinceÕs Trust steps in.
Last year 500
young people from
Kent and Medway
were helped to
change their lives
Helping young people find a purpose
Team community projects with The PrinceÕs Trust
teamwork in the community.
It involves a weekÕs residential
at an activity centre, participating
in a team challenge, undertaking
a local community project,
completing work placements
and staging a team presentation.
Team has thrived in Kent with the
help of delivery partner Creating
Futures Ltd and as a result of
various groups of young peopleÕs
hard work; areas in need of
rejuvenation and refurbishment
have been transformed. Each
Team contributes approximately
£7,250 to the local community
through the voluntary work they
do and it can range from
redecorating a school nursery,
to sprucing up a local youth club
or sports ground to working with
the elderly and organising
activities such as afternoon teas
and day trips for the care home.
ÔGet IntoÕ
For the first time in the South East
a course designed to get young
unemployed people from Kent and
Medway to gain work skills within
the construction industry was
launched in June 2007.
The two-week ÔGet Into
ConstructionÕ course runs in
partnership with construction
giant Carillon in Sittingbourne,
giving groups of 18-to-25-yearolds
a taster in new skills such
as carpentry, bricklaying and
tiling. Individuals also enter for
a Construction Industry Health
and Safety Test, which gives them
a Construction Skills Certificate
Scheme card (CSCS) and means
they can work safely on a
building site.
Simon Fulford, South East
Regional Director for The
PrinceÕs Trust, said: ÒThis
programme gives young
unemployed people the
opportunity to learn vital
trade skills and improve their
confidence. This is key when
trying to get a job in the
construction industry.Ó
Those who complete the course
will receive six months further
support from The Trust to build
upon their new skills and
confidence, helping them gain
jobs or further training within
the construction industry.
Fundraising
This year The PrinceÕs Trust
in the South East has to raise £1
millon a week to continue its vital
work. To help with this target the
local Trust office in Sessions
House, County Hall, Maidstone,
organises annual fundraising
events such as a greyhound race
night at Sittingbourne Greyhound
Stadium and a golf tournament
at Chart Hills Golf Course. For
further details on how you can
attend these events please
contact The PrinceÕs Trust
office on 01622 694280.
Further information on The
PrinceÕs Trust can be found by
visiting www.princes-trust.org.uk
or call 0800 842 842
One young person who has benefited from
The TrustÕs Business Programme is Karl
Gannon, who set-up Education Sense
Ltd, a recruitment agency specialising
in placing teachers in schools.
Before Karl, 28, from Maidstone, got
in touch with The Trust he was at a
difficult point in his life. With his current
job in recruitment coming to an end and
suffering from dyslexia and dyspraxia,
which hindered his administration skills.
Karl had always wanted to start his own
business and, as he had experience in the
recruitment industry, thought this would
be an ideal opportunity.
The Trust helped Karl compile a
business plan and in July 2006 he gave
a presentation of his plan to a Trust
business panel. The panel were suitably
impressed with KarlÕs ideas and his hopes
to be the first recruitment agency
specialising in placing teachers in special
needs schools and awarded him a £2,400
loan and a volunteer business mentor.
Since the business launched at KarlÕs
home it has gone from strength-tostrength,
growing 20% month on month
and employing five office staff. KarlÕs
volunteer business mentor has also been
particularly helpful giving advice
regarding tax and VAT issues.
After nearly a year of trading Karl has
high hopes for the future and plans to
expand the business to take on clients
from other counties in the South East.
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