National Citizen Service
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The National Citizen Service (abbreviated to NCS) is a British voluntary personal and social development programme for 16- and 17-year-olds in England and Northern Ireland.[1] It was announced in May 2010 by Prime Minister David Cameron as part of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government's Big Society initiative, and was piloted in 2011.
Description
The scheme takes place in the spring, summer or autumn coinciding with school holidays. Groups of 60 teenagers undertake a residential visit to an activity centre for an Outward Bound–style course in the countryside involving hiking and team-building activities. This typically lasts for three weeks in the summer, or 4–5 days in the autumn and spring version. After this volunteers undertake a residential week of volunteering work. Finally participants undertake a series of day trips at home and create a community-based project to raise awareness of a particular issue. Those completing the course receive a certificate.
From 2013 onwards volunteers have paid £50 each to take part in the scheme,[2] although there are bursaries for those from low-income homes. The expenditure on the scheme in 2012 was estimated at about £1,400 per individual and the scheme received almost half the Office for Civil Society’s total budget in 2013. The numbers who took part in the scheme were 26,000 (2012) and 30,000 (2013). Subsequent places available will be 90,000 (2014) and 150,000 (2015).[3]
The programme was designed and piloted in 2009 by social integration charity, The Challenge, who remain the largest provider of the programme.[4] When the scheme was launched it was initially criticised, with critics expecting it to be an unpopular and unsuccessful non-military version of national service. Subsequently, however, it achieved cross-party support in Parliament.[3]
In the 2016 Queen's Speech, it was announced that the scheme would be permanent through National Citizen Service Bill Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. which once enacted will see statutory framework for the programme put in place, as part of a £1.2 Billion investment.
In Wales
A pilot scheme began in Wales in 2014 and a report on the Welsh pilot (examining whether it duplicates or complements existing schemes) has been commissioned. David Cameron has urged the Welsh Government to consider taking up the scheme and offering it across Wales.[5]
References
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External links
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