The Prince's Trust Scheme

The Prince's Trust is a national youth charity that helps change young lives. Through its Team programme it works with 16 to 25-year-olds, giving practical support and developing the workplace skills of those who may have struggled at school, been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law.

West Midlands Police has been involved with the Prince’s Trust Team programme for several years, delivering courses from its own premises since 2005. In Wolverhampton, each 12-week course – at Staveley House in Whitmore Reans – is led by a police constable and police community support officer, working in partnership with City of Wolverhampton College.

The programme is designed to develop and improve skills, open up further education and training opportunities and help move young people into employment. Participants get involved with community and fundraising projects, residential challenges and work placements.

West Midlands Police is the only force in the country to deliver the courses from its own premises. This approach has won the backing of Stephen Rimmer, Director General of the Home Office Crime and Policing Group, who praised the force’s commitment to its partnership with The Prince’s Trust and “the wider use of police stations as community resources”.

The Director General added: “I am very clear that this type of partnership – between the police, the education sector and the voluntary sector – provides a really powerful basis for developing programmes to reduce re-offending.”

For more information on West Midlands Police work with the Prince’s Trust, click here(to go to WMP website PT page). To view a short film featuring young people who have participated in the Team programme click here. Or to visit the Prince’s Trust website visit www.princes-trust.org.uk.