Princes Trust Guest Blog – About our programmes for Young People
At The Princes Trust, we have a great team in the North, committed to working in partnership with a variety of organisations, from local authorities to clinical commissioning groups, police and crime commissioners, colleges and in particular Housing Associations just like yourselves. We already work in partnership with some Housing Associations like Calico in Lancashire where we ran a ‘Get Into’ programme specifically with their construction company which saw a group of young people undertake work experience, gain their CSCS card to safely work on construction sites in the future, some received FT paid work from the programme with more carrying on into higher education with a renewed vigour and sense of purpose for their career path.
We fully understand the complex needs surrounding young people aged 13-30 who maybe your tenants, young parents themselves or living with their extended families in your housing stock. We are seeing an increase in reporting of mental health issues, drug & alcohol dependency both from the young people and their parents, food poverty and young people unable to go into school or college or find work and the uncertainty of improvement of their situations any time soon. We’d like to work with you in partnership to help you support your young people by giving practical help and advice, boosting skills, confidence and getting young people work-ready through our range of programmes, online at the moment but then face to face once lockdown is eased.
If you’d like an informal chat about how we could work together in the future and perhaps help you during this difficult time please contact either Deborah Rowlinson deborah.rowlinson@princes-trust.org.uk for partnerships in Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and Greater Manchester or Deborah Clarke deborah.clarke@princes-trust.org.uk for partnerships in Yorkshire, Humber and the North East. We are both able to speak to you about national partnerships too should your organisation cover a wider geographical area.
(regional differences may apply in programme length and availability) here’s a selection and for further information on all or programmes please visit www.princes-trust.org.uk
“Get Into” – is for ages 16-30, get into work with top employers such as M&S, HSBC and the NHS, who are ready to hire fresh talent, while improving your CV and interview techniques. Some courses include a trial shift with potential job offers available at the end.
“Get Started” – is for ages 16-25, gain careers advice from experts such as Premier League, ASOS and Sony in a week while taking part in a team project that gives you a taste of what you love. A well-deserved celebration ends the week.
“Employability Online” – Ages 18-30 – Our online course has the tools to help you get the job you want. From where to start your job search to how to feel confident in an interview, work through our videos, worksheets and quizzes at your own pace.
“Team” – is for ages 16-25, it’s about making friends and new exciting connections, you’ve got 12 weeks to gain skills, experience and take on a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ community project to transform your neighbourhood with like-minded people.
“Explore” – is for ages 16-25 – Are you looking for an adventure? Try everything from kayaking to high ropes during an action-packed week-long residential, then choose from a range of options to create your own learning plan.
“Development Awards” – Are for ages 18-25 – You could receive a grant to cover course fees, equipment or even childcare costs to make your next step into work, education or training even easier.
During these uncertain times we have launched our five-point Youth Action Plan which will ensure young people continue to get the support they need from us during this challenging time, it covers:
- Wellbeing: Our army of youth workers and volunteers will provide one to one support for young people over the phone and online, helping those who are struggling to cope with isolation and social distancing
- Education: We will work with teachers to support pupils who are now not in school, as well as those vulnerable young people still attending
- Employment: We will deliver structured programmes for young people who don’t have a job to help build their confidence and reskill, and we will work with our partners to train young people to start critical jobs in health care and the supply chain
- Enterprise: We will provide mentors and support for young people who are self-employed and worried about their future
- Community: Many young people are already responding to the current situation by volunteering in their local areas. We will grow our youth volunteering network to enable more young people to help their communities, responsibly and safely
Recruiting new volunteers to help mentor young people into jobs with the NHS and into retail, we have a contract with the NHS to recruit young people into entry-level positions for a career with the NHS, which is so relevant right now and are appealing for volunteers from sectors affected by furlough or reduced hours.
On our digital employability programmes, our execs work with and support young people with their confidence, CV, application forms and interview skills. Young people are matched with a mentor who will support in finding the right opportunity through to starting work and settling into a new different environment.
Finally, we know this is a frightening time for young people, we have established a coronavirus section of our website with answers to frequently asked questions, updated as this situation develops. The website also has a chat function, which is the first step to a young person accessing our services.
