The Enterprise Programme
Start-up services and finance to help young
people to start their own business.
In 2009-10, we launched the Enterprise Programme
helping 1,712 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. In addition we supported 6,647 young people
through the Business Programme, helping 1,398 to start their own
business and providing ongoing business mentor support to 5,249
young people. The Enterprise Programme has now replaced the
Business Programme.
Over 25 years of success
The Prince's Trust has helped more than 70,000 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 2 years
- Start-up support for 3 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 3% interest rate
- 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