14The Trust / Inspiring young livesVolunteersOlamide Adesina was mentored by Bethan (right)Unemployed for more than six months, Olamide originally wanted to start her own business, so she contacted The Trust. Olamide said: "I realised that I needed significantly more financial support in addition to the support The Trust could offer me. I decided to explore human resources (HR) instead and completed my Certificate in Personnel Practice. The Prince's Trust then matched me with a progression mentor, Bethan."Bethan was able to help Olamide with her CV, support her with setting up interviews with recruitment agencies, and give her valuable connections. Olamide said: "Bethan was so easy to talk to. The knowledge I gained from her is priceless. The fact that she is an HR Manager and has worked her way up from being a receptionist was really inspirational. With her support, I was able to make the right choices. "Bethan has inspired me to become a mentor. I want to help others who don't have the connections or the qualifications to become successful young professionals."Volunteers are a vital part of The Prince's Trust and we value their support. Two volunteers and a young person share their experiences inspiring oThersMatt Grayson

princes-trust.org.uk/thetrust 15The campaign's stars225,000hours of support will be given by volunteers to The Prince's Trust in 2012Bethan Hughes - Progession MentorBethan works at global investment management firm DE Shaw & Co UK. She has volunteered for The Prince's Trust as a Progression Mentor since 2010, mentoring Olamide Adesina. Bethan said: "Our firm encourages staff to explore different volunteer activities, and I was introduced to The Prince's Trust by a colleague."Olamide impressed me during our first meeting: she is intelligent and committed, and had very clear goals. However, she needed coaching to develop direction, experience and a clear understanding of the job market." Over several months, Bethan has helped Olamide work on her goals to help her pursue a career in human resources. She's seen a huge improvement in Olamide's skills. Bethan explains: "She has made great progress throughout the assignment - I'm proud to have been a part of that process. A highlight was hearing Olamide talk passionately about her work experience at a recruitment firm. She was able to critique her own candidacy in light of what she'd learned, which is an invaluable skill in any job seeker. I have high hopes that she'll go on to achieve a successful career in HR." Kevin Howard - Volunteer Co-ordinator for The Prince's Trust in the East Midlands"My role involves ensuring that the 70 or so Business Mentors in my area maintain regular contact with their young people and that they have the tools needed to assist them, as well as identifying and addressing problems at an early stage. "I like the fact that, subject to abiding by Trust procedures, I am mainly allowed to organise my day and approach issues using my own initiative. At the same time, I know that I have the support of experienced Programme Executives if needed. I can see that my efforts make a difference - for example, there has been a significant improvement in contact rates in my area. "If you're thinking of volunteering for The Trust, don't hesitate - it's an excellent organisation."We need more Volunteer Co-ordinators like Kevin. Find out how to get involved: princes-trust.org/volunteerMatt Grayson