December 2011
Uniting for Young People: Merger Update
Earlier this year, The Prince’s Trust embarked
on an exciting new venture with youth charity Fairbridge. This
brings Fairbridge’s outstanding work with young people to
The Trust to become a core part of our programmes.
The Fairbridge programme comes to The Trust with a 25 year
history of success with some of the UK’s most disengaged young
people. Combined, we will be able to support 50,000 young people UK
wide this year, including 5,000 young Scots. The Fairbridge
programme will broaden and deepen the scope of our work with young
people.
There are three Fairbridge centres in Scotland, based in
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. These centres offer expert support
to young people from 13-25, delivering the first step Fairbridge
programme as well as providing access routes to young people
interested in The Trust’s employment programmes such as Get Started
and Get into.
About the Fairbridge programme
- The Fairbridge programme: is a first step programme, providing
specialist expertise to young people who need intensive support to
turn their lives around
- challenges, empowers and encourages young people who are at the
beginning of their journey towards jobs, education, training or
volunteering
- supports young people with multiple needs and chaotic
lifestyles, enabling them to re-engage and start discovering their
true potential
New look
As we unite our services, we are also developing a new united
image and we’ll be able to update you on the new-look brand
shortly. Fairbridge centres in Scotland have already received new
dual signage and marketing material and we are working with our
young people to support them during the transition.
Demand
Youth unemployment is at an all time high with over 1 million
young people in the UK out of work. That equates to over 100,000
young Scots not working, meaning that one in four 16-24 year olds
in Scotland isn’t working and that under 25s account for almost
half of Scotland’s total jobless.
This merger will allow The Trust to be the leading youth
organisation focusing on youth unemployment and this joint offering
means young people will have access to a comprehensive range of
programmes, designed to cater for young people at every stage of
their learning and development.
Prince’s Trust Programmes