Philanthropist Marianne Metropoulos becomes the first Principal Benefactor of PTI

Prince’s Trust International announces its first Principal Benefactor, Marianne Metropoulos pledging $5 Million to support global work of the charity over the next five years.  

Launched in 2015, Prince’s Trust International was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales to build on the work of The Prince’s Trust, the UK’s leading youth charity. Now working in 13 countries covering Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East, Prince’s Trust International has supported over 20,000 young people globally through its education, employability and enterprise programmes.  

The support of Mrs Metropoulos has already been instrumental in Greece where the charity has been working since 2018 and delivers its full portfolio of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Since beginning work in the country, over 70% of the young people who have enrolled in Prince’s Trust International employability programmes have moved into positive outcomes. 

Prince’s Trust International works with local delivery partners across the globe and in Greece, even during the height of the pandemic, partners rapidly adapted and innovated to deliver virtually to young people, with no breaks in schedule. Subsequently, over 200 young people have found work through Prince’s Trust International programmes in Greece since March 2020. 

Virtual delivery has also allowed programmes to reach more rural areas of Northern Greece where young people have been hit hardest by the falling labour demand.  

Alongside employability, Prince’s Trust International programmes support entrepreneurship innovation both in Athens, and in Summer 2020, a new programme was launched on Crete to give young people the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to launch their own enterprises.  

The impact of the economic fall-out of the COVID-19 pandemic has hit young people especially hard with 1 in 6 young people1 now out of work across the world. Prince’s Trust International rely on the vision and support of philanthropists such as Mrs Metropoulos to build upon the success of programmes and to invest in the futures of young people.