If I told you that your year 11 could develop leadership skills, build their confidence and make new friends this summer would you be interested?
Would you be even more interested if I said all this would cost you just £50 (maximum) and that your teen would be fully engaged in the most amazing outdoor team-building exercises, a residential for participants to learn ‘life skills’, a community-based social action project and an end of programme celebration event, all over a period of two to four weeks?
The National Citizen Service (NCS)
It sounds amazing, right? I'm sure you want to hear more about the National Citizen Service (NCS), the providers of all this fun. My JJ isn't even 15 yet but I am so pleased to have discovered NCS as I'll definitely be chatting to him about taking part once he has finished his GCSE's. He despairs of me sometimes as I'm forever on at him about being a good citizen; it is one of the most important values I aim to instil in JJ (and my girls to as they grow) as I feel it is far too easy in this day and age to be self-centered and to forget the value of community and working together for the greater good.
“Programmes like NCS are a good way to develop confidence and leadership skills to encourage a new generation of business and community leaders.” Sir Richard Branson
What is NCS?
NCS is a government backed initiative that has been around since 2011 with the aim of building a more cohesive, mobile and engaged society. By bringing together young people from different backgrounds for a unique shared experience, NCS helps them to become better individuals, and in turn better citizens. NCS is a powerful tool that can help our teens be able to see the value of difference but also importantly look for the similarities between them and other teens that come from completely different walks of life. I truly think it is fantastic and am amazed that I've not heard of it before.
In a nutshell, the programme:
●Puts young people through a series of challenging activities to take them out of their comfort zones and develop their strength of character
●Provides a progressive journey that hands over more responsibility to young people as the programme progresses and develops leadership skills necessary to succeed in the workplace
●Enables young people to connect with their communities through social action.
Four Phases
There are four phases, all completed within the one summer holiday. First its all about adventure and your teen will go to an activity centre where they'll stay with 12-15 other young people they've never met before and have the time of their life. Think abseiling, rock climbing, zip wires and kayaking - its brilliant fun even for the super-scardy!
Phase two is discovery. Your teen will go away to a Uni-style environment with the same group of young people they have already formed friendships and trust with. Here they'll discover more about their own talents and will develop life skills like confidence, leadership and communication to boost their CV or UCAS personal statement.
Social action is phase three. Together with their team your teen will come up with a project that they are passionate about. They'll plan, fund raise and execute their chosen social action endeavour.
The final stage, four, is all about celebration. Your teen has made it through the other three stages, they've had a ball and made some firm friends for life but that's not enough. No, now they have a celebration together and are welcomed into the wider family of NCS, where they can gain access to exclusive volunteering opportunities, as well as apprenticeships and great discounts.
Who is NCS for?
It is for every teen, surely this kind of amazing and life-impacting opportunity should be a rite of passage for every 16-year-old as they finish their exams? This year more than 100,000 teenagers from different backgrounds will come together in common purpose on NCS. That means one in six of the cohort of 16-year-olds will live together, develop skills together and build community projects together.
There doesn't have to be any barriers to your teen taking part either. The maximum cost per child is £50 and this covers all activities, tuition, food, travel and accommodation and if your circumstances don't allow you to be able to afford that then there are bursaries available on a case by case basis and help for those with additional needs too.
Of course you might already have holidays booked for this summer but don't let that stop you from signing up for more information. NCS will do their best to offer your child a programme that fits in with your families needs and there are multiples dates and venues available.
There are still places available for Year 11's to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity this summer. To sign up now, go to the NCS website. What are you waiting for?
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