Pictured at the M&S Ballymena store is Service Delivery Manager of The Prince’s Trust, Ryan McMullan, Team Manager at M&S, Julie Bell, M&S customer colleague, Caolan Gordon, who successfully took part in in one of The Prince’s Trust’s programmes and trustee of The Gallaher Trust, James Perry MBE.
The Gallaher Trust has announced its support for The Prince’s Trust’s ‘PROSPER’ project, delivering £150,000 of funding over a three-year period, in order to help young people aged between 18 and 30 years old develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed.
The Prince’s Trust was first established in 1976 and last year supported over 50,000 young people across the UK, with over 7,000 of those living in Northern Ireland. The Prince’s Trust aims to support young people aged between 16 and 30 years old across Northern Ireland, with their PROSPER project specifically targeting young people aged between 18 and 30 years old in the Ballymena area.
The charity first partnered with The Gallaher Trust in November 2019 for their three-year ‘PROGRESS’ Project, which concluded in December 2022.
Following its success, The Gallaher Trust has agreed to fund The Prince’s Trust with a further £150,000 for their ‘PROSPER’ project, and it runs from January 2023 until December 2025.
As part of this new project, The Prince’s Trust will continue to grow its Ballymena network, aiming to engage with 120 young adults from the area who will each participate in a range of programmes, with 90 individuals expected to record an improvement in their employability skills, 60 to receive development award grants, 30 to enter further education, and another 30 to secure employment.
Ryan McMullan, Service Delivery Manager at The Prince’s Trust, comments on the valuable impact this latest funding will have on the charity:
“The Prince’s Trust is committed to helping those most in need in our society by giving young people the opportunity to create a better future for themselves through employment, education and enterprise.
“From helping young people start their own businesses to improving their self-confidence and resilience, The Prince’s Trust is there to help young people unlock their potential and bring about a noticeable improvement to their lives.
"As a charity, our work wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support of our partners, so I would like to extend a huge thank you to The Gallaher Trust for their long-standing support for our organisation.”
Trustee of The Gallaher Trust, James Perry MBE, is assured of the long-term positive impact the work of The Prince’s Trust will have on the local community, commenting:
“The Gallaher Trust and The Prince’s Trust are united in the belief that every young adult should have the chance to succeed, no matter what their background.
“The skills, qualifications and experience gained through The Prince’s Trust’s ‘PROSPER’ project will help these young adults achieve their long-term career goals. The Gallaher Trust is proud to support the work of the charity, which is investing in not only a better future for the next generation, but also in a better future for the entire community.”