The Prince’s Trust is the UK’s leading youth charity reaching out to 14 to 30-year-olds who need our support the most, particularly those:

• Unemployed and finding it hard to get a job
• Struggling at school, or without qualifications
• In or leaving the care system
• Young offenders and ex-offenders
  
• The Prince’s Trust works to support young people by giving them the practical and financial support they need and encouragement to take responsibility for themselves.  The Prince’s Trust helps them to build the life they choose, rather than the one they’ve ended up with.  Last year The Prince’s Trust helped 44,050 young people to get their lives back on track.
  

Insurance industry support
Leading insurers are today joining forces to stop young entrepreneurs going out of business.

Young people starting in business on The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme often experience difficulties accessing insurance, particularly those with a bad credit history, unstable housing or a criminal record.

Young entrepreneurs from excluded backgrounds also frequently find insurance confusing, resulting in them buying unsuitable insurance products.  This leaves them vulnerable to losses that could put them out of business.

The Prince’s Trust Insurance Leadership Group (ILG) is now working with the insurance industry to tackle this problem, making it easier for young entrepreneurs on the Enterprise Programme to understand and buy insurance.

“Many young entrepreneurs are leaving their businesses open to huge problems by not buying the right insurance – or not buying insurance at all.  As the economic downturn gathers pace, insurance companies now have a real opportunity to stop young entrepreneurs going out of business,” said Elizabeth Foster, Vice Chair of the ILG’s Committee and Managing Director of Ingram Hawkins and Nock.

The Prince’s Trust helps 100 young people every working day, giving them the skills and qualifications to get a job.  Fifty-eight per cent of Trust-supported businesses are still trading into their third year.

The faces behind the numbers
Every one of the young people helped by The Prince’s Trust has their own unique story.

The partnership between The Prince’s Trust and Ingram Hawkins & Nock reached new heights in 2010 with Kurt Lewis, a Team programme participant, being taken on as a trainee.

Liz Foster attended her local Stourbridge Team programme to talk to Team participants about working in an office as well as an introduction to the world of insurance.  As a participant, Kurt was the lucky one who got the chance to complete a two-week work placement with Ingram Hawkins & Nock.

Kurt got many opportunities during the two week placement, being able to work within every section of the office including experiencing underwriting and sitting in on meetings with visitors from partner insurers.

“Together with two colleagues I attended the Team Final Presentation and it was very touching to meet those young people again.  Kurt made the closing speech and spoke very warmly of his time with Ingram Hawkins & Nock.  I was given an opportunity to speak and chose to use that time to promote my belief that every young person deserves a chance and that I admire very much the work done by The Prince’s Trust to ensure that as many young people as possible have that chance.”
Liz Foster, Managing Director, Ingram Hawkins & Nock.

The Prince’s Trust are delighted that following his successful placement Kurt has been offered a trainee position within Ingram Hawkins & Nock.

“My experience from working with the team at Ingram Hawkins & Nock was fantastic as they were all so nice.  It was unexpected that there were so many interesting things within the insurance industry that all appealed to me. Being offered the trainee position is amazing.”
Kurt Lewis, former Team participant.