The Enterprise Programme
Start-up services and finance to help young
people to start their own business.
The Enterprise programme helps young people interested in
self employment to explore and test their ideas, write plans and
start their own businesses, or achieve alternative outcomes in
education, training, volunteering or work. The Enterprise programme
has now replaced the Business Programme.
30 years of success
The Prince's Trust has helped more than 80,000 young people set
up in business since 1983.
56% of Trust-supported businesses are trading into their third
year.
What does the programme offer?
Start-up services and finance to help young people to start
their own business
Start-up services
- Assistance with putting together a business plan
- Volunteer business mentor for two years
- Start-up support for three years
- Self-help kits, seminars, free advice lines and other marketing
support
Start-up finance
- Test marketing grants up to £250
- Start-up grants of up to £1,500 in special circumstances
- Start-up loans of up to £4,000 for a sole trader or up to
£5,000 for a partnership (average is between £2,000 and £3,000 but
varies regionally)
- Low interest loan
- Loan length between 1–3 years
- Monthly loan repayments by direct debit
Who can apply?
Young people who are aged between 18 and 30 who are:
- Unemployed
- Unable to raise all the finances to start-up a business from
other sources (for example banks, local finance providers, friends
and family)
Key facts
- 6,400 people are currently volunteering as business
mentors
- 87% of young people felt that help from the programme satisfied
their goals
- 38% of the businesses we support are in the service sector, 15%
in media, arts and entertainment, 8% in maintenance and building,
7% in fashion and 6% in technology
Whether you need a plumber in Plymouth or a gardener in
Gateshead, using a Trust-supported business is a practical way for
you to help.
Our work depends on your donation.
Celebrating 30 years of Enterprise
Click to explore Enterprise Avenue -
celebrating 30 years of creating young entrepreneurs.
The Prince's Trust supported over 54,000 young people last
year.