Get Experience & Build Your Skills: National Citizen Service

Looking to get some work experience, boost your confidence or just searching for a bit of inspiration?

National Citizen Service could be the thing for you.

What is National Citizen Service?
National Citizen Service (NCS) is open to all students aged 15-17 in England and Northern Ireland and is designed to give young people experience living away from home, developing their skills for work and volunteering in their community.

What does it involve?
Students who sign up get to spend a week away at an outdoor activity centre during autumn, spring or summer term holidays, taking part in rock climbing, canoeing and other adventurous activities.

How can all this fun stuff be helping me build my work skills you ask? Taking part in activities will help to boost your communication, confidence and team work skills plus give you the opportunity to meet and make friends with other young people.

Your activity week will be followed up by a week with your fellow NCS students learning about work & life skills, like CV building, budgeting and presentations; developing your own interests and finding out more about the issues facing your local community.

Your final week of national citizen service will be spent on a social action project, spending 30 hours volunteering to help your community. Previous volunteers have put on concerts and events, painted murals, set up small businesses, built community gardens or renovated skate parks.

At the end of the programme you'll be left with some great experience, new skills and something equally excellent to put on your CV or UCAS form.

How much does it cost?
According to NCS, you'll never pay more than £50 to take part in the whole programme and depending on your circumstances, you could pay less or even go for free.

Find out more
Head over to the NCS Yes site to find out more or register to take part.

Related articles:
UK Youth Parliament
Volunteering and CVQs