Educational qualifications are mightly important and I am often writing posts about when to start revision for GCSE’s or posts on 7 tips to help your teenager study. As a former teacher, I have a huge amount of knowledge on how to support and inspire young people. However personal qualities are just as important as academic qualifications and this is where the national citizens service comes into play.
What is the purpose of National Citizen Service?
The National Citizens Service will act as a gateway to the society for many young people, by supporting them to develop the skills and attitudes they need to get more engaged with their communities and become active and responsible citizens. The programme will promote a more cohesive society by mixing participants from different backgrounds.
I have been through the GCSE exams once and we are almost at A Levels. Much of this year has focussed on University applications and open days. Chloe has much to offer a University and these days, more than ever, your application should cover more than just academic success. Chloe is a talented sportsperson, she has been on the school’s elite sports pathways and she has represented the county for many years in her chosen sport of hockey. This has stood her in a great position for applying for University. There are brilliant ways to add to your CV including taking part in the national citizens service.
We are now starting the options process for Dylan, our 14-year-old and he is currently deciding which subjects he wants to take at GCSE. Luckily for him, he will drop those subjects, namely art and technology that he doesn’t enjoy. He is a humanities boy through and through and ideally he would choose to take History, Geography and Sociology. These are the subjects he enjoys. Choosing GCSE’s is the first stage of narrowing down your education and it is the time to start thinking about future careers. I don’t think at 14 you know for sure what you want to do or be, but you certainly know areas that interest you more than others.
In addition to academic qualification, your teens are the time to start becoming more socially aware. I want my children to become rounded citizens that have a social responsibility for the community in which they live and also a global understanding of their world. As a former head of sociology, citizenship is a term I used regularly in the classroom, yet there are better ways of teaching citizenship than reading and talking about it!
Action speaks louder than words and the National Citizens Service provides fun opportunities to discover more about yourself and also more about our place in society.
What does NCS Offer Teens?
The National Citizens Service was established to help build a more cohesive, mobile and engaged society and I only wish Chloe had had the opportunity to take part. It is something she would have embraced with both hands. The programme gives more than 100,000 teenagers from different backgrounds the chance to come together in common purpose on NCS. Teenagers will take part in three phases followed by graduation.
- Phase 1, Adventure: A residential based away from home with fun activities such as canoeing, rock climbing and abseiling. A chance to meet new people and enjoy some adventure, fun and freedom!
- Phase 2: Discovery, A further 5 days and four nights in a uni-style environment where you’ll develop life skills like confidence, leadership and communication to boost your CV or UCAS personal statement.
- Phase 3: Action, Working in teams, you’ll put your new skills into practice by delivering a community project of your choice. Plan, fundraise, make a difference!
The NCS programme lasts around four weeks, but not necessarily in consecutive order. There are breaks in between and therefore if you have holidays booked or weekends away planned it is a barrier to finding out more information and taking part.
My husband is an assistant headteacher and I was telling him about the programme and he agrees that it is a pretty amazing experience. We would encourage all parents to find out more and see what opportunities await.
The whole NCS experience costs just £50, including food, activities and accommodation, with financial assistance available to some. That is just amazing and there are still places available for Year 11s to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity this summer. To sign up now, go to the NCS website by using this link.
Disclosure: This is sponsored post in conjunction with National Citizens Service
One Response
Elissa has signed up for this year and is really looking forward to it. Bethan completed it 3 years ago and really enjoyed the experience, camping on Dartmoor, gorge scrambling and making new friends. For her community project they updated a local community centre, ringing local companies and asking for materials to be donated. It taught her how to work with over people with different abilities and kept her occupied for 4 weeks of the summer.