Building society donates £10,000 to to kick start Prince's Trust programme in Mansfield

The Mansfield Building Society’s Charitable Trust has made its first donation of £10,000 to The Inspire and Achieve Foundation to allow them to run a Prince’s Trust Team programme for unemployed 16–25 year olds in Nottinghamshire.

Back in 2016, the Society gave a total £75,000 to the Trust with the intention that further contributions will be added in future years.

Inspire and Achieve, a Mansfield based charity, helps troubled, neglected and disadvantaged young people aged between 16 and 25 to find the support they need to overcome or manage problems and take positive steps towards finding work. The charity helps around 250 people a year, with on average 65 per cent moving into employment, education or training as a result.

The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a 12 week course allowing young people to get involved in team building activities, a week-long residential trip, a community project and two weeks of work experience.

They will also get advice on how to write a CV, learn employability skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification.

Pippa Carter, director at Inspire and Achieve, said: “Too many disadvantaged young people feel that they don’t have any ability or talent and as a result avoid education or employment. It can be difficult to convince people that they do have what it takes to lead a fulfilling and successful life and that is where the Team programme comes in. It will offer participants the opportunity to use skills they perhaps didn’t know they possessed, and give them the confidence and support to help them take their first steps towards building a career by entering work, education or training.”

The first programme run by Inspire and Achieve will start in April this year, with the initial intake expected to result in 13 young people completing the course.

Richard Crisp, commercial development executive at Mansfield Building Society, said: “We are very proud to support Inspire and Achieve bring The Prince’s Trust programme to disadvantaged young people in Mansfield. Whilst the Trust’s donation of £10,000 will help kick start the programme, the Society will also help where we can through voluntary staff engagement. If the programme is a success we’re hopeful it will become self-sustaining and continue running for years to come, helping as many young people as possible start on their path to a better future.”

Pippa Carter from Inspire and Achieve will be talking more about the scheme at Mansfield Building Society’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday 25 April 2017 at Mansfield Library, starting at 4pm.