Opportunity and Enterprise
The Prince of Wales has for many years tried, through his charities, to help people fulfil their talent and potential, whether by supporting disadvantaged young men and women through the work of The Prince’s Trust and The Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) or by providing assistance to older people through his charity PRIME (The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise) the only national organisation dedicated to helping people aged over 50 set up in business.
The Prince’s Trust
The Prince's Trust exists to help young people overcome barriers and get their lives working.
Through practical support including training, mentoring and financial assistance, it helps 14 to 30-year-olds realise their potential and transform their lives.
The Trust focuses its efforts on young people who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. Visit the website.
The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust
The sole aim of The Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) is to help young people in Scotland aged between 18 and 25, however challenging their background, achieve their full potential through self-employment with the provision of a comprehensive support package of pre-start counselling, funding and an extensive aftercare programme.
The PSYBT has grown rapidly from its early days and now works towards an annual target of 600 businesses a year, manages a loan fund over £3 million and provides aftercare to more than 8000 businesses In Scotland. Visit the website.
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru are the only UK organisations promoting and supporting self-employment and enterprise for people aged over-50 and were formed at the initiative of The Prince of Wales.
They raise awareness of enterprise among older people, campaign for improvements, signpost or provide free business start-up support, offer loans of last resort or guidance towards funding and undertake research into best practice.
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru offer the over-50s a route to financial independence, the opportunity to use their experience and skills and a chance to contribute to their communities. Visit the PRIME website or the PRIME-Cymru website.
The Prince’s Youth Business International
The Prince’s Youth Business International (YBI) is an international network of programmes that help disadvantaged young people to become entrepreneurs by providing business mentoring and funds.
Each local programme operates on three common principles: they support young people, typically aged between 18-30, who have a good business idea but who cannot obtain help elsewhere; they provide access to start-up funds in the form of a loan without the need for guarantees or collateral; and they provide the young entrepreneur with a volunteer business mentor and access to business networks. Visit the website.
The British Asian Trust
The British Asian Trust exists to build bridges between the British Asian community and charitable organisations in South Asia.
The Trust was founded at the suggestion of The Prince of Wales by a group of British Asian business leaders and focuses on causes in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as community linked projects in the UK.
The charity will provide long term support to existing organisations to help them develop and implement projects in the fields of enterprise, education and health. Visit the website.