Jamie McDonald: Kilwinning man wins Prince’s Trust award

Jamie McDonald scooped the L’Oréal Paris Rising Star Award, at The Prince’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards, recognising young people who have overcome barriers and are now in sustainable employment.

Jamie, 30, has endured significant personal challenges in recent years, including losing his mum, becoming homeless and couch surfing from place to place.

Though now, he is fully employed and becoming a model employee at an M&S in Glasgow, where he is orginally from.

Jamie has thanked the Prince's Trust for how they have helped him turn his life around. (Image: The Prince's Trust)

Now living in Kilwinning, Jamie is determined to provide a good life for his daughter.

He was desperate to get back into employment but he didn’t know where to start.

With support from The Prince’s Trust, Jamie was able to enroll on an employability course which led to him obtaining his new full-time role with Marks and Spencer.

Jamie explained: “Before joining The Prince’s Trust, I had been unemployed for eight years. I had also lost all my identification documents, which made it really difficult to find work or secure a place to live.”

Jamie began working to get a copy of his birth certificate, which enabled him to open a bank account and begin earning.

He expressed his gratitude for the help he received from The Trust in this process.

Jamie added: “It felt incredible to have someone fight for me and believe in me again. It gave me hope that now that things would finally be moving forward.”

From this point, Jamie attended a Department of Work and Pension information session in January last year to learn more about The Prince’s Trust.

After looking through the various options available to him, Jamie expressed an interest in applying for a course with Marks & Spencer in Glasgow.

He demonstrated his enthusiasm and was successful in earning a place on the course. Colleagues and managers were soon singing his praises, and as time passed, Jamie assumed more responsibilities, including building furniture.

The Kilwinning man went above and beyond by building an entire display on the shop floor, and colleagues were so grateful that they bought Jamie a gift to show their appreciation.

At the end of the course, it was clear Jamie felt comfortable in the role and shared how thankful he had been for the opportunity.

Jamie was ecstatic to find out he had been offered an initial three-month paid contract and has since secured a full-time position.

Jamie now finds himself in full-time employment, after being unemployed for eight years. (Image: The Prince's Trust)

He commented: “My life has changed so quickly over the past few months; I feel like everything is finally back on track and I’m so thankful for the staff at The Prince’s Trust and Marks & Spencer. I could not have done it without them.”

Now, in light of his award win, Jamie is ecstatic that his hard work has been recognised in this way.

He said: “I feel privileged to be here and delighted to have won the Rising Star Award. I’ve worked hard to get to where I am now and this award is recognition of that.

“I’m now in full time employment, which has completely changed my life.

"A few years ago being where I am now just didn’t seem possible. I wouldn’t be here without the help I received from The Prince’s Trust.

"They gave me the motivation and confidence to get where I am today.”

Caroline O’Neill, general manager at L’Oréal Paris UK and Ireland who sponsored the award, said Jamie's story should provide inspiration to others.

She said: “Congratulations Jamie – you are an outstanding winner of the L’Oréal Paris Rising Star Award and an important example to others.

"When you believe in yourself and your worth, you can achieve anything.

"We wish you all the best for the future and we have no doubt you will go on to achieve great things.”