National Citizen Service

Who are NCS?

NCS is a government-backed programme for all teenagers aged 15-17.

The programme typically runs during the school holidays. It’s managed and supported by the NCS Trust and delivered by more than 100 local businesses, youth centres, sports clubs and grassroots initiatives. The programme exists to:

engage, unite and empower young people
cultivate stronger, more integrated communities
build essential skills for work and life
engage young people in their communities; and
create more understanding about their responsibilities as a citizen

Together we’re aiming to make the world a fairer, kinder, more compassionate place.

Ofsted-regcognised

NCS is positively recognised by Ofsted as proof of schools’ contribution to students’ personal development.

What do we do?

NCS is a four-phase programme, specifically designed to provide teens with a host of new experiences:

BE EPIC: In your first week, you’ll live away from home and nurture your adventurous side. Whether you take on the high ropes, wild waves, or scale a wall, one thing we can guarantee is, by Friday night you’ll feel fearless (and pretty worn out)! Don’t worry, you’ll have the weekend back home to catch your breath.

LIVE LIFE: Next up? Enjoy another five days away from home with your new-found mates. Get a crash course in adulting and pick up skills to set you up for life.
By the time you’re done, you’ll be speaking to a room full of people without freezing up and know a whole load more about what you want from life after school.

DO GOOD: Fuelled by your first two weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to use your voice and have a lasting impact. Want to see a change in your community? Countrywide? Or even globally? This is your chance to deliver an impressive ‘passion project’ – we can’t wait to see what you and your teammates achieve!

GO PARTY!: Ok, so this is a VIPOYE (Very Important Part Of Your Experience), naturally. By this point, you’ll have achieved A LOT. Now it’s time to be recognised. You’ve got to go out with a bang, right? “Is there an after party?”, we hear you scream. Yeah, kinda!

Why Choose Us?

NCS helps young people meet new people, get their voice heard, boost their CV or UCAS statement and have a lot of fun. After NCS, there are opportunities to access apprenticeships, work placements, training, volunteering projects and workshops. NCS Grads are also invited to join their regional Youth Board and attend local NCS Action Days to continue making a difference in their community.

Free to schools & college
To raise awareness of what NCS can offer young people, we offer free guided assemblies, NCS-led tutorials, information stands at careers and freshers’ fairs and Q&A sessions at parents evenings; all led by our trained local NCS teams.

We can also provide guided sessions led by NCS staff to support classroom activities such as PSHE lessons, stress-busting workshops and exam preparation guidance.

Schools and Colleges can gain NCS Champion Gold, Silver or Bronze status in recognition of particular efforts in promoting NCS to your students.

Inclusive
NCS is a universal programme, available to all age-eligible young people. We have a track record of supporting young people from different backgrounds and with various types of needs to have an inclusive NCS experience.

Locally relevant
We work with local authorities, businesses, charities and community groups to raise awareness of our benefits, and ensure what is delivered on NCS programmes in Somerset is locally relevant and meets the needs of our communities.

Sign up

To sign up directly to NCS, go to:

Get in touch

To find out more about NCS, please contact:

Carl Knight
Community Engagement Manager – South West
NCS Trust
carlknight@ncstrust.org.uk

National Citizen Service – NCS