Charlton Athletic Community Trust Delivering NCS

When it comes to formative experiences that build character, there can be few more powerful examples than National Citizen Service. The government have pledged to provide over a billion pounds for NCS over the next four years meaning that by 2021, NCS will cover 60% of all 16 year olds.

Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) is delivering the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme in Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells from 2016-2018.

NCS is a youth empowerment programme that gives 15-17 year olds (years 11 and 12) the chance to channel their independent spirit and take their next steps with confidence. NCS takes place over the school holidays in summer, autumn and spring.

Launched in 2011, to date over 200,000 teenagers have taken part in NCS and 3.3 million hours have been dedicated by NCS graduates to social action projects, helping to improve their local communities.

The programme consists of 5 phases:

1. Firstly, they spend five days away from home enjoying instructor-led group activities such as kayaking, high
   ropes and first aid.
2. Then, they spend a further five days in university style accommodation, learning new skills, meeting with businesses and organisations in the local community.
3. Back at home, they highlight issues in their local community they would like to change. With their new skills they plan and pitch their chosen social action project.
4. Following which, it’s time to make their team project happen. Projects range from raising money for a chosen charity, raising awareness of local issues, or regenerating public spaces.
5. Finally, they graduate - receiving a certificate signed by the Prime Minister and as part of the NCS Graduate Programme they get access to unique opportunities to continue volunteering and stay connected to each other and their local community.

On NCS, participants build resilience and skills for work and life, while taking on new challenges and adventures, building confidence and making friends for life.

The programme comes at no cost to schools, nor does it interrupt with existing study programmes. As a result of their participation pupils have a better understanding of British values, greater community awareness, a more well-rounded moral and civic character, as well as entrepreneurial expertise.

As the local delivery partner for Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells CACT is actively looking for opportunities to engage with senior leaders within Secondary schools to promote the programme and its wider benefits for pupils, the option of becoming an NCS Champion School and the government’s wider growth agenda for this inspiring programme. If this is something you are interested in then we would love to hear from you.

Our next programme is due to start in summer 2016 with 525 young people due to take part.

For more information or to arrange a mutually convenient time to discuss the programme, or have the programme presented to your students please contact:

Andy Carpenter – NCS Programme Manager (Charlton Athletic Community Trust).

Contact Details

Andy Carpenter
Telephone: 0208 311 4847
Email: andy.carpenter@cact.org.uk