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History of the Organisation

The Prince’s Trust is a not-for-profit organisation that was founded back in 1976. The trust takes its name from its founder and main patron, His Royal Highness Charles Prince of Wales. In its first year of existence, the trust launched 21 projects across the United Kingdom, which aimed to support young people and improve their future opportunities in areas such as training, mentoring, business grants, and personal development. The first projects that the trust helped build up were a fishing club, a social centre in East London, and two sports schemes in Cornwall.

In 1982, The Prince’s Trust organised its first ever fund raising concert in Tottenham Court Road, London. The proceedings amounted to over £72,000, and the success of this event prompted the celebration of a series of rock galas that attracted international celebrities and brought in additional funding.

Another highlight in the history of The Prince’s Trust was the establishment of a business start up scheme for unemployed young people. This programme was launched in 1983, and just three years later there were more than 1,000 new businesses that had developed thanks to this scheme and that had survival rates of 80 per cent. The trust’s business start up programme has since become one of the star projects of this charitable organisation.

During the mid 1980s, the trust organised several residential and community events, such as the Prince of Wales Community Venture. These programmes played an important role in the development of the organisation’s volunteer projects, which are now an integral part of the work carried out by this charity.

During the decade of the 1990s, the trust concentrated its efforts in educational and sports programmes. The Study Support scheme was set up in 1990, and it has since been assisting underachieving students improve their academic performance. This was also the time when several grants (known as Development Awards) were offered to young people who wanted to make a difference in their local communities.

In 2004, the Trust contributed to the publication of an important piece of social research, an extensive study that outlined the main challenges faced by disadvantaged youths in the United Kingdom, and the strategies to reach them and help them become fully integrated in their communities. Throughout the 2000s, The Prince’s Trust has been increasingly more involved with social research on topics like exclusion and the reintegration of former offenders.

Through its 37 years of existence, the trust has continued to expand its reach and to develop new projects in collaboration with other like-minded organisations.

Key Facts about the Prince’s Trust

Since its foundation in 1976, the trust has helped over 750,000 youngsters have access to a better future. During 2012 alone, nearly 56,000 people benefited from the trust’s activities.

The trust also has widespread support from the public, as its site receives more than 5 million visits per day and the charity has over 80,000 followers in social media networks.

Ethos and Key Practices of the Organisation

The Prince’s Trust operates on the principles of social responsibility, volunteerism, and support for those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. For the Trust, every young person deserves an opportunity to develop its full potential, regardless of their social or economic position and of other factors, such as gender, ethnicity, or personal beliefs. These principles have guided every single project developed by The Prince’s Trust since it was first set up more than 30 years ago.

Nowadays, the organisation focuses its support and outreach work in two main areas: support and fund raising. In terms of support programs, the trust runs seven different programs in various areas of the UK. These include their Enterprise Programme, which helps young entrepreneurs make their business ideas come true; the Team Programme, which aims to help unemployed youngsters improve their self-esteem and future prospects by helping them discover and develop their skills; the Get Started courses, which encourage participants to develop personally through the use of sports, music, or drama; the Get Into courses, which help young people aged 16-25 to gain vocational skills and enhance their employability; the Development Awards, which provide recipients with cash grants to be used in training or educational programmes; the XL Clubs, which target young people exposed to social exclusion; and the Fairbridge Programme, which offers disadvantaged young people the opportunity to gain key skills and qualifications.

Contact details and Further Information about The Prince’s Trust

To find more information about the programmes and initiatives offered by The Prince’s Trust in your local area, you can visit the trust’s official website at http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/.

General enquiries can be sent by e-mail to [email protected], or by letter to the trust’s address: The Prince’s Trust House, 9 Eldon Street, London, EC2M 7LS.