The Duchess of Cornwall’s love of horses is well-known, and one of her newest patronages has been selected by The Prince’s Trust to use horsemanship to teach young people life-long lessons.
HorseBack UK has announced they will be delivering The Prince’s Trust Team Programme starting on 31 January 2022. Camilla became the charity’s new royal patron in July 2021, when HorseBack UK praised how she “understands the incredible emotional impact horses have on human recovery.”
The organisation has more than ten years of experience with running horsemanship and outdoor skill courses for current and former military personnel suffering from both physical and mental injuries. HorseBack UK will be working with young people ranging from 16 to 25 in the Prince’s Trust Team Programme, which “inspires and empowers participants to think about their future.”
Stressing teamwork and community involvement, those taking place will learn skills that will benefit their wellbeing and help them gain employment in the future. All of the charity’s Prince’s Trust Team Programme offerings will be based out of HorseBack UK’s headquarters in Dinnet, Aboyne, Scotland.
While they work with horses, participants will take part in an activity residential, two weeks of work placement, interview and CV building skills classes, and a community project. Upon completion, young people will receive The Prince’s Trust Certificate and Award in Employment, Teamwork and Community Skill, along with the John Muir Award (Discovery Level) and official SQA Level 4 qualifications.
Emma Hutchinson, co-founder of HorseBack UK, shared the charity’s pride at being chosen by The Prince’s Trust to take part in their programme.
“It’s a perfect fit,” she said. “We are passionate about helping people with mental health challenges and The Prince’s Trust focuses on helping vulnerable young people get their lives on track. Horses are such wonderful creatures and they have proven time and again that they can really help young people reconnect with themselves and build their confidence and self-esteem to help them make the most of their lives.”
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 by the Prince of Wales and aims to help vulnerable youth from ages 11 to 30 develop life skills through a range of free courses, grants, and mentoring opportunities.
