Monday 16 April 2018

National Citizen Service For Teenagers

My eldest daughter is turning 16 in a few months, she is studying for her GCSE's and is seriously thinking about what she wants to do when she leaves school, she is currently torn between two options. She will soon be venturing into the world of college and work and I often wonder if she is ready for it. So when I heard of National Citizen Service (NCS) I thought that this sounded like a brilliant programme to help equip and ready our teens for life after school. 

teenagers doing first aid



So what is National Citizen Service? 

Well NCS is a government backed programme which was established in 2011 to help build a more cohesive, mobile and engaged society. By bringing together young people from different backgrounds for a unique shared experience to become better individuals and in turn better citizens. 

NCS is open to 16 and 17-year-olds across England and Northern Ireland and is a three to four-week programme that takes place during the school holidays. The programme includes outdoor team-building exercises, a residential trip to help learn 'life skills', a community-based social action project and ends with a celebration event. 

awards celebration NCS

The cost of your teenager taking part in this programme is just £50 which includes food, accommodation and travel costs, with bursaries available on a case by case basis. I think this is amazing value and it sounds like it will be such a worthwhile programme to take part in, as well as looking impressive on those all-important college application forms and CVs. 

The NCS programme is broken up into four phases, phase one is all about Adventure. For this young people live away from home with a group of 12-15 others at an outdoor activity centre, team-building exercises like rock climbing, zip-wiring, canoeing and archery will be on offer to help develop confidence and take them out of their comfort zones. 

Like the time I took Chloe on an adventure day to Walltown in Northumberland and she zip wired and rock climbed. It really pushed her boundaries and helped her confidence. 

walltown northumberland

The second phase is all about Discovery, staying in a uni-style residential environment it is a chance to learn something new and also develop important life skills for the future. 

The third phase is Social Action, your teenager will return to their local area and make a difference to their local community. 

The final phase is celebration, a chance to reward the hard work your teen has achieved by offering them discounts and exclusive access to apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities. This year more than 100,000 teenagers from different backgrounds will come together on NCS and there are still places available for current year 11 pupils to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity this summer. To find out more and to sign up now visit the NCS website and even if you already have plans and holidays booked for this summer they will endeavour to get your teen on a programme that fits in with any plans. 

rafting on NCS programe

If you have or know a teen make sure you get them to check NCS out as it is sure to be a once in a lifetime opportunity that would help build foundations for their future. 

This is a collaborative post with NCS. 




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36 comments

  1. My best friend was telling me all about this last week as she has signed her step son up for it near us. It sounds absolutely amazing! I couldn't believe how good value it was for what was included. I really hope something like this is still around when my two are old enough as it seems like such a good way to teach valuable life skill and to make some new friends.

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    1. It really does sound great, such great value. I hope he enjoys it x

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  2. I love this idea as it sounds like such a great idea for teens to experience as it can be hard for them to find exciting things to do during the summer holidays.

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  3. Wow this really does sound like an experience of a lifetime - my daughter is a little young for this yet but I will be keeping this in mind for when she is older.

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  4. I think this programme sounds amazing and something I would have loved as a teenager. I love the range of skills and activities they have on offer, and the fact it helps develop them as well

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  5. I LOVE the NCS Scheme. It's so good for kids of this age and I think really helps to prepare them for adult life.

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    1. It sounds ideal for preparing them for adulthood x

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  6. My son is doing this this year, some of his friends went last year and had a fab time. I wish they had had it when I was young

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  7. What a great concept! There certainly needs to be more support around this important age - I remember feeling a bit at a loss when I was 16 years old!

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    1. I was exactly the same and it is still so young, I think this will help with confidence and life skills x

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  8. This looks like such a great scheme for teenagers. My eldest at 14 would love it!

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    1. My daughter would love it too once I got her there x

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  9. That sounds like such a great programme and brilliant value for money. It can be hard for teenagers to know where they want to go in terms of life/college/work and something like this might help them.

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  10. I've not heard of this before! Sounds like great programme! x

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  11. That sounds like an amazing opportunity! I wonder if we have something similar here in Scotland.

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  12. My daughters friend is actually doing this and she can’t wait to join up next year

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    1. My friends son is too, sounds like such a great scheme x

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  13. My son is 15 and he is all signed up to do NCS in June. I am so excited for him, and it will be a wonderful opportunity for him and his friends to relax as soon as the GCSEs finish. I must admit I had never heard of NCS before they went into the teen's school x

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    1. I don't think they have been into my daughters school as I have only just heard of them recently. I hope he has a great time x

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  14. Just learned about this today and I am super impressed as it definitely something for the teenagers to get involved in and be part of the community

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  15. My son did this a couple of years ago and LOVED it!!

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    1. It really does sound good, I am hoping my daughter does it and enjoys it too x

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  16. Sounds like a great opportunity. And a fun one too.

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  17. This is a perfect opportunity for the teenagers, the price is fab and sounds such good fun

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  18. I LOVE the NCS Programme I would have loved to do this when I was younger, such an amazing opportunity.

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    1. It really is a great opportunity, I would have loved it too x

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