This month The Prince's Trust celebrates the 25th anniversary of its Business Programme. In the South East we have helped 1,282 young people set up in businesses in the past five years, through low-interest loans, grants and mentoring for up to three years.

In all, 58% of businesses supported are still trading into their third year, which compares favourably to the national average. This is despite the fact that the young people we help have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law.

However, the future looks bleak. Due to a lack of funding in the South East - especially public sector investment - we will be supporting only 130 businesses this year compared with 381 in 2002-03. This will have negative implications on the region's economy and the young people we need to offer a brighter future.

The Business Programme nationally costs £1 million a month but each pound invested in a loan generates at least £2 in return to the region's economy.

I am appealing to the region's governmental bodies and the private sector's best business brains to help towards offering start-up finance and to pass on their experience to the next generation of the South East's brightest young minds.

By working together to invest in our young people, we can add real value to the communities we live in and to our region's economy.

  • Simon Fulford, South East regional director, The Prince's Trust