Working For Young People
countries
young people
years
The King’s Trust
Across the World
The King’s Trust Group is a global network of support for young people, inspired by the vision of our Royal Founding President, His Majesty King Charles III. Our mission is to work for young people, by empowering them to build the skills for a brighter future.
About The King’s Trust
Since 1976, we have enabled over 1.3 million young people to change their lives for the better.
We support young people to continue their education, to secure employment and to build new businesses. During 2023/24, we supported almost 100,000 young people across over 20 countries across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. Well over 70% of those young people who completed our employment programmes achieved a positive outcome.
His Highness the Aga Khan is the Global Founding Patron of The King’s Trust Group and HSBC Holdings plc is our Global Founding Corporate Partner. We are immensely grateful to them and all our supporters globally.
We will celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2026 – and before then, 10 years of international delivery in 2025.
‘It seems to me that every young person, wherever they live, deserves a chance to succeed – and that when that chance is given, we all share in the dividend.’
His Majesty The King
We partner with schools, youth development organisations, employers and mentors. Together, we work for young people by empowering them to build the confidence, skills and experience they need to succeed in the future world of work.
Our programmes draw on our 48 years’ experience as a leading youth organisation in the UK and are adapted to the needs of young people in different countries.
Our Education programmes support children and young people who may be struggling with mainstream education. We enable them to build the confidence, communication and teamwork skills they need to navigate adult life; and the skills they need for future employment.
Our Employment programmes support young people at all stages of their journey towards employment, including those who need extra help before they are ready to secure a job and those who are actively seeking work.
Our Enterprise programmes enable young people to explore starting their own business and equip budding entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
An Upskill Struggle
To find out more about the future of work for young people around the world
Our Impact
Together, we supported over 60,000 young people during 2023/24.
Commonwealth
HM The King is the Head of the Commonwealth, an association of 54 countries working together for prosperity, democracy and peace. The Commonwealth is home to 2.4 billion people, 60% of whom are under 30 and includes both advanced economies and developing countries.
The King’s Trust Group works in both, supporting people facing very different contexts and challenges. As we scale up our work around the world, we work closely with local partners within the Commonwealth and beyond, supporting young people and groups to develop the confidence and skills to succeed.
Timeline
1976
With a backdrop of mass unemployment in the UK, and a feeling young people were being left behind, HM The King uses his Navy severance pay of £7,600 to establish pilot projects for young people including lifeguard training for young offenders; the conversion of an old cricket pavilion for inspiring musicians and grants for unemployed young people.
1983
The Youth Business Initiative, now the Enterprise programme, is launched with unemployment at a 50-year high and in the wake of nine days of riots in Toxteth, Liverpool - the programme has so far supported over 86,000 entrepreneurs to start their own business.
1985
The foundation of the Team self-development programme is launched in Wales and today is delivered in countries from Barbados to Malaysia.
1998
School xl clubs are launched that seek to motivate young people at risk of falling out of mainstream education. The programme has since evolved in to the Achieve programme - outside of the UK, the programme is also now delivered in 7 other countries.
1999
The Prince’s Trust as we know it today is consolidated. The charity is recognised by HM The Queen and given a Royal Charter.
2003
A ‘Fashion Rocks’ event at The Albert Hall raises £1.2m with performances from Beyonce, Robbie Williams and Duran Duran, alongside 12 of the world’s top fashion designers.
2004
The Get Into programme is piloted in response to the need for young people to gain vocational skills and work experience. The Get Into programme has been supported by a number of top employers including the NHS, HSBC, Marks & Spencer and TK Maxx. The programme is now delivered in a number of countries overseas including Greece, India and Jamaica.
2004
The Trust launches the first ‘Celebrate Success’, a star-studded awards ceremony recognising the amazing achievements of The Trust’s young people. This is now an annual awards show, The Prince’s Trust Awards, hosted by iconic British TV presenters, and long-time trust supporters, Ant and Dec.
2011
HM The King and The Queen Consort visit areas of London affected by violence and looting including Tottenham, Hackney, Lambeth and Croydon. The Prince’s Trust calls on business to help raise a further £1.5m to help young people affected by the violence.
2015
Prince’s Trust International is launched by HM The King s at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta - the charity now delivers in 17 countries.
2016
The Trust celebrates 40 years.
2016
Mosaic becomes part of The Prince’s Trust providing mentoring support for young people from disadvantaged communities, with particular focus on young Muslims.
2017
Prince’s Trust Australia joins The Prince’s Trust family
(formerly Prince’s Charities Australia).
2018
Prince’s Trust Canada joins The Prince’s Trust family
(formerly Prince’s Charities Canada).
2018
Prince’s Trust New Zealand is established.
2018
The Prince’s Trust Group brings together all Prince’s Trust charities into a global network.
2019
HH The Aga Khan becomes the Global Founding Patron of The Prince’s Trust.
2019
The Africa Advisory board for Prince’s Trust International is established, enabling the launch of our work on the continent.
2020
Prince’s Trust USA is established.
2020
The Prince’s Trust reaches the incredible milestone of helping over a million people to transform their lives.
The Prince’s Trust Global Founding Patron,
HH the Aga Khan
In 2019 His Highness the Aga Khan became the Global Founding Patron of The Prince’s Trust.
His Highness is the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which today works in 30 countries around the world to improve the quality of life of tens of millions of people. His Highness supports the delivery of The Trust’s work in the UK and Canada and through local partners in India, Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan, Rwanda and the Caribbean (Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica).
Global Award Winners
The King’s Trust Global Awards
Started in 2018 and presented annually at The King’s Trust Awards, The King’s Trust Global Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of young people and communities on King’s Trust Programmes around the world.
Ahmad, Jordan
2019 Global Award Winner, Team
Prince's Trust International
Former gang member Ahmad has turned his life around. He is now a respected local tour guide and volunteer youth leader.
Nilam, India
2019 Global Award Winner, Get Into
Prince's Trust International
The Get Into programme enabled Nilam to find a secure job with a monthly wage, helping her younger siblings stay in school.
Akeme, Barbados
2020 Global Award Winner, Team
Prince's Trust International
Akeme once flirted with a life of crime. Now he has his own catering company and is saving up to buy a food truck.
Kristin, Canada
2021 Prince’s Trust Group Award Winner,
Operation Entrepreneur
Prince’s Trust Canada
After sustaining an injury that forced her to retire from service, Veteran Kristin joined the ‘Operation Entrepreneur’ programme and started her plant business.
Ekalale Susan, Kenya
2021 Global Award Winner,
Enterprise Challenge
Prince's Trust International
When Ekalele Susan’s parents’ jobs disappeared due to Covid-19, she stepped up to support her family – despite still being at school.
Thomas, UK
2021 Young Achiever of the Year, Get Into
The Prince’s Trust
Thomas was homeless and mixing with the wrong crowd. He joined the Get Into NHS Hospital Services programme, gaining full‑time employment.
Global Ambassadors
The work of The King’s Trust is supported by our Global Ambassadors who help The Trust to scale our work around the world.
Lionel Richie
Chairman of the
Global Ambassador Group
Lionel Richie’s music is part of the fabric of pop music and he has achieved the honour of having #1 records for eleven consecutive years. With more than 125 million albums sold worldwide, an Oscar®, a Golden Globe®, four Grammy Awards®, the MusicCares Person of the Year in 2016, and is a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2017. In March 2018, Richie put his handprints and footprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollywood, one of the oldest awards in Hollywood. He has received the Ivor Novello PRS for Music Special International Award. Lionel was also honoured at the 23rd Annual Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas in 2019 that raised 10 million dollars for the Cleveland Clinic, Nevada. Lionel is currently a judge of ABC’s American Idol. The Tuskegee, Alabama native is a true music icon.
In Spring of 2019, Lionel was named Global Ambassador and Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince’s Trust for his selfless work helping young people all over the world achieve their dreams and transform their lives.
Edward Enninful
Global Ambassador
Edward Enninful took over as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue in August 2017 and was promoted to European Editorial Director of Vogue in 2020 after holding a number of high-profile roles in the fashion industry. Enninful has worked with British title i-D where he was named Fashion Director at the age of 19, as well as American magazine, W and has made extensive contributions to American and Italian Vogue.
Born in Ghana 49 years ago, one of six children, Edward was brought to London as a child and grew up in the city's Ladbroke Grove area. He attended Goldsmith's, University of London, but left before graduation in order to plunge full-time into a fashion editing career. He has received a number of awards including an OBE for Services to Diversity in the Fashion industry as well numerous acknowledgements from the fashion and journalism industries for his creative work.
Edward shares his unmatched experience from a global career, with particular interest in our work in Africa to help guide and support the work of The Prince’s Trust across the world.
Case Studies
Dorcas, Ghana
Dorcas from Ghana struggled with her confidence at school. She took part in the Skills for School programme and has now been chosen as a leader by her peers.
Fatima, Pakistan
At just fifteen Fatima joined Enterprise Challenge Pakistan and became part of a prize-winning entrepreneurial team with a goal of empowering women.
Cora, UK
After losing her income as a personal trainer due to the pandemic, Cora took part in the Enterprise programme. The training allowed her to diversify her business online.
Rusheda, Jamaica
For 15 year old Rusheda from Jamaica, taking part in the Achieve programme has been an eye-opening journey, through which she discovered and developed new skills.
Ola, UK
Ola took part in The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme and set up a textile business. Her business has continued to thrive throughout the pandemic by selling face masks online.
JR, Canada
JR took several years after leaving the Military to find his feet. After taking part in the Operation Entrepreneur programme, JR has a thriving woodwork business.