Our new Prince’s Trust Programme has been a shining success, and now we are looking forward to recruiting for the second course. The young people who come to us have a variety of challenges which come under the umbrella of wellbeing. This might be anything from a lack of confidence or self-belief, to the spectrum of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression and isolation. These are people, in other words, who find it very difficult to navigate the world with any sense of ease.
The programme was designed by our own Taff Teague, a veteran with years of experience in team-building and leadership skills. He worked off the foundational HorseBack principles which we have been developing over the twelve years of our existence. And every single one of the young people who completed the course made giant steps forwards. Fifty percent of them are now in work, in new jobs, and the others are moving towards that goal with a sense of hope which wasn’t there before.
We believe that everyone has a special skill, a gift, an ability to contribute to the world. Life or circumstances or misfortune may come along and obscure those gifts and abilities, so that hope and belief get lost under the rubble. In a way, our job is to prove to the people to come to us that they can do way more than they think they can do. We are proving themselves to themselves. We open the door, and they see that they can step through it.
This work is more fulfilling than we can say. We are already looking forward to the new course in February, so that we can give another group that sense of direction and possibility which is so much part of the HorseBack world.
More information the Youth Development Princes Trust Programmes can be found here: YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
