Basingstoke MP Maria Miller met up with young people taking part in the National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme in Basingstoke recently, to learn about what they have been doing as part of the programme.
Maria met the teenagers at BCOT, where they were spending the third week of their programme, having already had two week-long visits, including to a residential outdoors activity centre. During this third phase they were designing and planning a fundraising project, to be carried out the following week. One group were planning a quiz night at the Chineham Scout Hall to raise funds for the Two Saints homeless shelter in Basingstoke, and had to “pitch” to a Dragon’s Den style panel to secure a loan to seed fund their project.
Maria said: “The National Citizen Service gives young people a fantastic opportunity to get involved in new and challenging activities, grow in confidence, get new skills for work and life, work together to plan and deliver a project to benefit their community, and to meet new people. From talking to the participants today, it is also clear that they are having a great time and would thoroughly recommend the scheme to friends and family.”
“It is great news that the National Citizen Service is going from strength to strength in Basingstoke, with around 250 students taking part locally this year.”
The NCS is a unique Government-backed programme for 16 and 17 years olds, that brings together young people from different backgrounds and through a full-time three week programme (followed by a 30 hour social action project) helps them to develop greater confidence, responsibility, resilience and skills, as well as giving them the experience of volunteering for their local communities.
For more information on the National Citizen Service, see www.ncsyes.co.uk