The main show may be over, but celebrations to mark the Coronation of King Charles III will continue across the bank holiday weekend, culminating in tomorrow’s Big Help Out.
‘Lend a Hand. Make a change’ is the tagline, encouraging people across the country to spend time helping out in their local communities.
For many this might just be for the day, but for the Prince’s Trust, those sentiments have been at the heart of its ethos for almost half a century.
Founded in 1976 by the then Prince of Wales, the charity has since helped 1,000,000 young people by providing courses, guidance and equipment for those in need of support to find a job or start a business – not least those with an interest in the science and tech industries.
In 2019, Joel Gunner was studying for a degree in human nutrition when he fell ill and had to withdraw from his course. A few months later he was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.
‘After I was diagnosed, I was feeling deflated and uncertain,’ he says. ‘The recovery rate for my illness is just 5%, but I try to keep my head up and remain positive.’
Joel, a lifelong stargazer, was recommended the Prince’s Trust ‘Get Started with Stars and Space’ programme by his girlfriend. Although worried he might struggle with having been out of education for a while and the brain fog often associated with chronic fatigue syndrome, he thrived.
‘I was really nervous beforehand,’ says Joel. ‘I hadn’t been in a group scenario learning like that in a long time. Plus, having to do that online was quite daunting! But I wouldn’t have been able to do the course if it hadn’t been online as I wouldn’t have been able to travel to the Southwark office, so that was great.
‘I really enjoyed the programme. It was very thought-provoking and it was an amazing opportunity to speak to experts in the field. The highlight for me was speaking to [astronaut] Tim Peake – that was a bit of a “pinch me” moment.
Joel’s top tips for amateur stargazers
1. Get yourself a pair of binoculars. The naked eye can only see a few thousand stars, if you have binoculars that number rises dramatically. You’ll see what I mean when you try.”
2. Go to a ‘dark spot’ to stargaze, somewhere like Pembrokeshire in Wales. The number of stars that you can see out there is ridiculous!
3. Start stargazing in the winter. During the summer, hot air rises which obscures your field of vision. So, if you want to get a real crisp view of the sky, do it during the winter months.
4. Be patient – you won’t see things like shooting stars or the International Space Station in a couple of minutes, but rather hours, so patience is key.”
‘Also, my group completed a project on the hypothetical Planet 9/X, which is – probably – a planet that is so far away in our immediate solar system that we cannot see it with our current telescopes. We can see a gravitational disturbance that must be caused by something out there. This planet is way, way beyond Pluto in an area called the Kuiper Belt.’
After the programme concluded, the trust continued to help Joel in an unexpected way.
Coronation of King Charles III latest
The historic Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla took place in Westminster Abbey on Saturday, May 6 – with celebrations continuing into the bank holiday Monday.
For all the latest royal updates, visit Metro.co.uk’s dedicated coronation page.
‘I was asked to get involved in a marketing project for the Prince’s Trust,’ he says. ‘That project got me into writing, an activity I could do alongside my illness. I found a part-time writing gig soon after, and eventually I progressed into my current role in sales.
‘The programme, and the opportunities that came after it, had a massive impact on me. It was the first domino to fall, which got the ball rolling in getting my life back on track.’
For Charlotte Wilkins, the Prince’s Trust helped with an early career change, moving from the services industry into tech.
‘Before lockdown, I’d been working at McDonald’s for 10 years,’ says Charlotte. ‘I enjoyed working there but knew it wasn’t a forever job, and the pandemic made me think it was the year to look for something different, especially as I had so much free time when I was furloughed.
‘I’ve always been interested in tech products and liked the idea of being part of an exciting new industry. I started looking for adult training courses at the start of 2020, and the pandemic meant there were more courses available.
‘I applied for the Prince’s Trust and Generation Amazon Web Services ‘Re/start’ course, because I didn’t know what skills were required for a tech job. The course covered such a wide range of skills, including multiple programming languages – often courses just cover one. I got a laptop from the Prince’s Trust to learn from too.’
Three years on, Charlotte is excelling in her new field, having joined cloud tech company Matillion after completing the course.
‘I’m happily still working at Matillion and I have been promoted to solution engineer. I’m still learning new things every day but also feel really confident in my knowledge.
‘Completing the Prince’s Trust course really changed my life. Not only did I gain tech skills but also a lot of life skills which gave me a boost of confidence.
‘I’m now working a job I love and no longer doing night shifts, so I can enjoy my evenings and weekends and am more free to do hobbies I love, like playing football.’
To women hoping to kickstart a career in tech, Charlotte adds: ‘I would say to anyone, try a boot camp course like the one The Prince’s Trust offered – and don’t be afraid to ask questions! I’m quite a shy person and would be so nervous to ask them, but everyone I’ve met in tech has been so helpful.’
For Shezell Foster, the Prince’s Trust made such an impact she has stayed with the charity.
‘In 2016, I signed up to the NBC Get Started with Media programme and, after subsequently attending a Get Hired day, I got a job in a law firm,’ says Shezell. ‘Unfortunately, I was made redundant when the pandemic hit. Job hunting during that time while also caring for my mum and brother was very tough.
‘However, lockdown gave me time to self-reflect and helped me to figure out what I wanted to do next.’
It was then Shezell found a Get Started course in IT skills through the Prince’s Trust, which had already helped her brother.
If you met the King, what would you say to him?
Charlotte
I would say how grateful I am to have been given the opportunity to change my life through the Prince’s Trust, and how brilliant the programme was for young adults, like me, stuck in life.
Shezell
I would thank him for creating the trust in the first place and for providing so many opportunities for young people. I hope that we can continue letting as many people as possible know that the Prince’s Trust is here to help.
Joel
I would thank him for enabling all that the Prince’s Trust does. It changed my life, and it is great seeing it change the lives of other young people.
Also, and this is a little left-field, I’m big into my music – so I’d love to know what kind of tunes King Charles listens to
‘The course was virtual, so completing it took a lot of willpower,’ she says. ‘It was challenging, interesting and practical and showed me what my skills were and what I needed to work on.’
After successfully completing the programme, Shezell interviewed for a job at the Prince’s Trust – and got it.
‘In my job at the Prince’s Trust, I take enquiries, fix issues that colleagues are having and offer support,’ she says.
‘The course I did with them helped me develop the skills I now use every day. There are always new projects and new challenges coming up, and I enjoy being challenged! The Trust also allows me to work flexibly which helps me balance all my responsibilities.’
Shezell adds: ‘I’m hearing impaired and had a lot of setbacks during my early years. I had to be pretty self-reliant. Getting a job as a deaf person can also be challenging and I wish more workplaces were accessible – there’s a lot of adjustment that still needs to happen.’
To those balancing work and carer duties, Shezell stresses the importance of good mental health.
‘You have to look after yourself so that you don’t burnout,’ she says. ‘It’s important to prioritise and to know when you need to take a break, or take some time to do some meditation – balance is the most important thing.
‘If you don’t look after your own mental wellbeing, it’s hard to help others.’
Helping others has been at the heart of the Prince’s Trust throughout its almost five decades, in science, tech and beyond. More recently, the charity has focused on the ‘Class of Covid’, those impacted by the effects of lockdowns and the upending of daily life on their education, social lives and job prospects.
And even though its founder is now the King, no longer a prince, the charity will continue its work helping young people to build the skills and confidence needed to kickstart their careers – just as it did for Joel, Charlotte and Shezell.
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