Kids cash in after Asda hands thousands to Prince’s Trust awards scheme

Sixty-four young people receive Development Award for help with starting out in new jobs after store donation

Earlier this year, the Asda Foundation, a charitable company that provides grants to a range of good causes in Scotland, awarded £27,637 to The Prince’s Trust to support their Development Awards programme.

The Development Awards scheme helps disadvantaged young people overcome financial barriers to work, education and training by offering small grants to cover a wide range of expenses, including course fees, travel to work or new equipment.

The Asda Foundation’s support has allowed The Prince’s Trust to make 64 Development Awards to 14-26 year olds living in the communities around Asda stores in Scotland.

These included funding for a sign language course, forklift driver training, equipment for a trainee mechanic and an apprentice electrician, utensils and whites for a kitchen job and a sewing machine for a dressmaker.

Other young people received grants through the Asda Foundation to help with clothing for their new job or to fund health and safety qualifications needed for jobs in the construction industry.

Around 86 per cent of the young people who received a Development Award went into employment, education, training or volunteering.

Kevin Mcbride, VP Retail North at Asda, said: “We are committed to making the communities around our stores better places to live and work. One of the ways we do this is through the Asda Foundation, and each project we support is nominated by our colleagues or customers. For us, sharing their passion is the ideal way to give something back to the local communities that support us.

“The Prince’s Trust Development Awards programme has a fantastic impact and we are proud to have supported the initiative and helped to change these young people’s lives.”

Allan Watt, director of The Prince’s Trust Scotland said: “Too many young people face many barriers to getting their lives on track. It’s tough to compete for jobs when you might not have the contacts and support that our young people miss out on.

“Often the last missing piece of a complicated jigsaw that will make all the difference is a relatively small amount of money to buy equipment, get a certificate or something as simple as a bus pass before their first pay cheque.”

0 Asda Foundation can help with cash