Youth charity The Prince’s Trust  has a new award to help the young entrepreneurs they’ve supported take their businesses to the next level.

Over the past five years, The Prince’s Trust has supported 3,159 businesses in Scotland, including South Ayrshire.

We've been interviewing people across Ayrshire who have benefited from the Trust and you can check out their stories online.

The Trust is now calling on these businesses to enter The Tomorrow’s Business Awards, supported by long-term partner Royal Bank of Scotland.

The Awards will celebrate the positive impact starting a business can have on an individual, their community or to sustainability issues and the environment.

Who can enter?

Businesses in any field including technology, creative industries and those who are focused on improving the environment, which have received start-up support from The Prince’s Trust over the last 10 years.

What will they win?

Three winners will each receive £3,000 from Royal Bank of Scotland to invest in their business, a one-to-one mentoring session with one of the following: Lloyd Dorfman (founder of Travelex and Chairman of The Prince’s Trust), Steve Rowe (CEO of Marks & Spencer) or Claire Locke (Co-founder, Artigiano) alongside business-boosting workshops with industry experts.

How do they enter?

Everything you need to know about the awards including an online entry form can be found at www.princes-trust.org.uk/tomorrowsbusiness .  Entries close on Tuesday 30th August 2016.

Allan Watt, Director, Prince’s Trust Scotland, said: “The Tomorrow’s Business Awards are designed to showcase the talent and innovation of young people who have set up businesses with help from The Prince’s Trust.

"I have seen firsthand the positive effects of the Enterprise programme, not only for the young entrepreneurs but also in their local communities and economies. These Awards want to recognise that and help those businesses to take their next step.”

Currently there are 621,000 16 to 24 year olds still struggling to find a job in the UK. The Prince’s Trust and Royal Bank of Scotland are urging more young people to seek support and consider setting up their own business to break out of unemployment.

With the help of Royal Bank of Scotland, the Enterprise Programme has been helping young people start up in business since 1983 and has supported more than 80,000 new ventures to date. Well known businesses which began with help from The Trust include household names Dynamo and kids suitcase business Trunki.

To enter, visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/tomorrowsbusiness - competition closes on 30th August, with winners announced in September.