HRH The Prince of Wales attends Prince’s Trust International reception
for Heads of Commonwealth

HRH The Prince of Wales yesterday met with Heads of Government and Heads of State from across the Commonwealth at a Prince’s Trust International reception held at St James’ Palace.

The event welcomed representatives from across the Commonwealth, who heard from: HRH The Prince of Wales, Lloyd Dorfman CBE, Prince’s Trust International Chairman, and Dame Martina Milburn DCVO CBE, Chief Executive of Prince’s Trust Group about how Prince’s Trust International is working with a range of delivery partners to support young people around the world into sustainable employment, education or training.

On 9 March 2018 Clarence House announced the results of a review of the Prince of Wales’s Charities, confirming the expanded Prince's Trust Group will extend to New Zealand. The newly enlarged Prince's Trust Group will include the work of The Prince's Trust in the UK alongside a new network comprising activity previously carried out by The Prince's Charities Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Prince’s Trust Group will continue the work of The Prince’s Trust by providing young people with the help they need to reach their potential and will now also provide support for indigenous groups and environmental projects.

The first programme delivered by Prince’s Trust International in New Zealand commenced in partnership with Kingslea school in Christchurch, Dunedin, Rotorua and Auckland. The Achieve programme, which helps young people re-engage with education, is currently being delivered in Kingslea locations across New Zealand. Prince’s Trust International will extend delivery of the programme to mainstream schools across New Zealand from 2018.”

Prince’s Trust International works in partnership with governments and agencies to deliver the proven youth programmes of its sister charity, The Prince’s Trust, which for over 40 years has helped more than 870,000 young people to transform their lives in the UK. Prince’s Trust International was launched by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2015 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta.

Prince’s Trust International is currently working with local strategic and delivery partners in: Australia, Barbados, Canada, Greece, India, Jordan, Malta, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Scoping has also begun in Malaysia, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, to be ready to run pilot programmes in 2019.

Following the announcement of the newly expanded Prince’s Trust Group, His Royal Highness took this opportunity to reiterate his commitment to giving young people in the UK and across the world a chance to succeed.

The Prince of Wales paid tribute to the young people whose lives have been transformed by his charity and the devotion of all those behind its work. He also spoke of the opportunity to support more unemployed young people across the Commonwealth with Prince’s Trust International’s courses in education, personal development and business.

Prince’s Trust International in New Zealand

Unemployment is consistently high among young people in New Zealand. The Achieve programme is helping young people re-engage with education and gain skills to help them move into employment.
Youth unemployment can be partly attributed to 15% of 18 year-olds not achieving higher qualifications (NCEA Level 2 or higher).

Towards the end of 2017 our first Achieve pilot programme commenced in partnership with Kingslea School. Kingslea School, which is based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Rotorua and Auckland, is a school that educates New Zealand’s most vulnerable children and young people. The first pilot of the Achieve programme supported 39 young people in the care of OrangaTamariki (New Zealand’s Ministry for Children) to gain qualifications in personal development and employability skills.

The Achieve programme supports young people to re-engage with education; improving attendance, behaviour and attainment. Students have the opportunity to work towards The Prince’s Trust Personal Development and Employability Skills (PDE) qualification, which is which has now been recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) and leads to the New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills qualification at Level 1. The qualification is achieved by completing a series of bite-sized units, which are appropriate and relevant to learners needs.

Over the next year Prince’s Trust International expect to expand delivery beyond Kingslea School to deliver the Achieve programme in secondary schools across Canterbury and ultimately the rest of New Zealand, with generous support from The Bake Foundation.

Andrew Williams, Chairman of Prince’s Trust New Zealand, said:

“The Prince’s Trust has been transforming lives and building communities worldwide and it is wonderful to be able to extend the work of the Trust in New Zealand beginning with our pilot programme at Kingslea School. Our goal is to help students across New Zealand achieve their potential and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, whilst celebrating the rich heritage of the country.”

Tina Lomax, Principal, Kingslea School, highlighted the challenges young people face in New Zealand and how Achieve is helping them reach their potential. She said:

“I was so excited when I heard about the Prince’s Trust Achieve programme, introduced to me by Dame Martina Milburn. From that moment on I could see the potential of Achieve to help our students with a ‘stepping stone’ qualification on to the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

The beauty of Achieve is that it is delivered using our New Zealand Curriculum. This is particularly important as most of our students form part of the 15% of New Zealand students most at risk of not achieving NCEA Level 2.”

ENDS

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