Prince's Trust Glasgow: How the charity helps youngsters across the city

Originally founded by The Duke of Rothesay in 1976, the charity supports 11 to 30-year-olds who are unemployed, struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.

Many of the young people are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, or have been in trouble with the law.

This week marks the fifth year of The Prince’s Trust Wolfson Centre in Glasgow.

Adam Mushtaq, from Carmyle in the city’s East End, is just one of thousands of young people who has nothing but praise for the team.

The 24-year-old heard about the charity through a family friend.

He described being in a downward spiral and felt his life was spinning out of control.

Despite needing and wanting support, he was unsure who to reach out to.

Adam proceeded to take part in a few Prince’s Trust programmes that looked at helping him to build his confidence and skills.

After excelling and getting help with employability skills like interviews and his CV, he secured a job with the Royal Alexandra Hospital as an auxiliary and hopes to progress into studying nursing.

Adam said: “To be honest I was looking for some form of general help and direction as I was in a bad place and very lost.

“Most likely if I didn’t get that help, I wouldn’t have been able to overcome the downward spiral I was in.

“Through the trust I began to learn skills but also gain a determination to get things done and achieve things.

“With encouragement, I began to venture into the unknown and consider job roles and careers which previously I hadn’t thought was a possibility.”

Courses offered by the trust give practical and financial support needed to stabilise lives.

Three in four young people supported move into work, education or training.

Deborah Lobban, who suffered as a result of the Glasgow School of Art fire, has now set up her own business, thanks to help from the trust.

Her studio, based in Glasgow, aims to develop sustainable ways of using cashmere manufacturing surplus by creating hand woven quilts, scarves, and throws.

Deborah is now looking to expand Dastardly Line by increasing her products and taking on staff.

She said: “The fire was devastating to so many and for us students we were worried that it would also have a negative impact on our careers.

“The art school and the Scottish Government donated some money to allow affected graduates to pick themselves back up again and that’s when the concept for Dastardly Line was born.

“I had a vision of what I wanted to do which involved coming up with ways to solve the problem Scotland has with textile manufacturing waste, and we’re now building up a customer base.”

Deborah completed The Prince’s Trust Enterprise course and is still benefitting from having a mentor.

She added: “I found the course to be very helpful when setting up my business.

“Until then I’d been largely working alone, but I found being able to talk to other young people in my situation extremely helpful, mainly because they were full of the same uncertainties as I was and experiencing the same problems, and it was helpful to know I wasn’t alone.

“The follow ups from the trust have also been lovely – it still feels like I can go for help, that they will remember who I am and not judge or question why I need some more support.”

Meanwhile, Calum Smith from Johnstone, is now two years into a four-year apprenticeship that he loves, thanks to help from the charity.

The 19-year-old didn’t get the qualifications needed to pursue his aim of becoming an electronic engineer after leaving school and was left unsure about what he wanted to do in life.

Calum felt an apprenticeship would suit him, but he didn’t know how to go about securing one.

He reached out to Skills Development Scotland for support and found out about the Get into Installation programme run by The Prince’s Trust.

The course focused on the practical skills needed for a career as an electrician, and Calum is now halfway through his apprenticeship with FES.

After needing tools to begin his job, he was also able to secure funding via the trust.

Calum said: “I had a great time on the course and really enjoyed it.

“I knew as soon as I started the programme I wanted to do well and get one of the apprenticeship’s available at the end of it.

“The course was also good as it wasn’t just about electrical installation but helped us feel more confident and ready for work.

“I’m really enjoying doing the apprenticeship and looking forward to learning more in the next two years.

“I think eventually I would like to become my own boss.

“Whenever my friends tell me they are unsure about what they want to do I tell them to go to The Prince’s Trust. Everyone in the Glasgow centre is really friendly and they really do help you to build confidence and get employment you enjoy.”