Alternative Careers Spotlight Series The Princes Trust

Alternative Careers Spotlight Series The Prince’s Trust Interested in supporting young people in the United Kingdom who are struggling to transform their lives? This week I spoke to Naomi Hyde, a Warwick Physics graduate who currently works as Supporter Services Coordinator at the Prince’s Trust. About The Prince’s Trust Founded in 1976 by Prince Charles, The Prince’s Trust is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting 11 to 30 year olds who are experiencing personal difficulties. Through training programmes, practical and financial support and other tools, the organisation helps young people who are facing issues such as homelessness or mental health issues. In over forty years the Prince’s Trust has supported over 870,000 clients, with three in four moving onto employment, education, volunteering, or training. What might an employee at the Prince’s Trust look like? You will be the type of person who wants to make a positive difference in the world and are passionate about helping young people. You are proactive and friendly. You are driven by job satisfaction, rather than salary. You want a career that’s more about work; at the Prince’s Trust, you will be part of a family rather than just a company. You will be the type of person who goes above and beyond your job description to have an impact and most of all, have fun! Hear from Naomi, a Supporter Services Coordinator at the Prince’s Trust I am part of a small team of five in the fundraising department. Most of the job involves working closely with the finance department to reconcile all fund-raised income and ensure that it is processed onto our fundraising database by the end of each month. We process funds from JustGiving pages, direct debits, BACS transfers and much more. Otherwise, the job involves stewarding community fundraisers who organise their own activities to raise money for the Trust. We answer their enquiries, send them fundraising materials, and generally support them in any way we can. Tell me about an average day: 9am: Come into work, answer a few emails and queries from other colleagues. 10am: Process fund-raised income (e.g. a report from JustGiving). 12pm: Lunch 13pm: Return from lunch and check emails again. 13:30pm: If we have received donations from supporters, I add them to the database with their contact preferences and Gift Aid declarations. 15:00pm: Weekly catch up with my manager over Skype. 16:00pm: Wrap up the day by finishing any outstanding work or emails. Alongside my day job I am part of a well-being working group in my office, which aims to raise awareness of positive mental health and well-being techniques. Although the group is fairly new, we have created a book club and have several meditation and mindfulness sessions for people to get involved with. I am also an Innovation Champion for my office, which involves encouraging people to pioneer new ideas or solutions that will improve the charity and help us accomplish our mission statements.  Employees can also get involved in various employee networks which are dedicated spaces for specific groups, to promote inclusivity across the Trust.   Recruitment process This isn’t a graduate programme, although The Prince’s Trust do offer internships and placements for university students. For recruitment, candidates are invited to one face-to-face interview and possibly a short, competency test. These depend on the role. Why did you decide to apply for this role?   When I graduated, I decided to take some time to myself and rather than starting in a new role, increased my hours at a supermarket where I was familiar with the environment. Later, there were various reasons I chose to avoid applying for graduate schemes. Firstly, during final year, I was faced with so many demands that I simply did not have the time to apply. For me, it was impossible to dedicate the time to both my degree and the extensive application processes. By the time I had finished my degree, the charity graduate schemes which appealed to me had closed. The schemes in this sector are also limited, where the roles may not fit your skill-set or interests. Personally, it was best to go straight into a role that I knew I would enjoy and add value. Secondly, the graduate scheme application process seemed very demanding â€" lengthy applications, interviews, assessment days, and so on! This process also felt competitive and stressful. Honestly, I felt like it would be uni all over again, where everyone is at the same level of intelligence and have the same experiences. For job interviews, you usually must attend one or two interviews before you hear back.  Finally, most grad schemes were London-based and this does not fit my personal preferences or lifestyle. What advice would you give to anyone thinking of applying to the charity? The Prince’s Trust is a fantastic charity to work for. Managers and colleagues are so supportive and welcoming. While the work is challenging, it is also rewarding. We are all encouraged to maintain a healthy work-life balance. As well as preparing for your interview as best you can, try to convey your passion and excitement for the charity and their work. There are offices across the UK, so it is not all London-based. Additionally, there are various roles which means that there will be something to suit anyone who is interested in the charity sector! Interested in exploring charity-related opportunities? Here are some resources to get you started: Charity jobs Join Warwick Volunteers Princes Trust job opportunities