NCS cancels summer programme amid pandemic
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
The National Citizen Service (NCS) has cancelled its annual summer programme due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the UK.
The youth programme, launched by former Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011, was due to see up to 100,000 16- and 17-year-olds embark on residential group activities, followed by community volunteering, this summer.
The NCS Trust confirmed all those who had signed up will be offered full refunds.
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However, young people could be asked to volunteer to help those affected by coronavirus, it added.
A statement from the NCS Trust said: “Bringing young people together in a residential setting away from home is at the heart of the NCS programme.
“Given the uncertainty about how long social distancing restrictions will be in place, it is sadly not possible for the 2020 summer programme to take place in its traditional format.”
The trust added that it is currently working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and NCS suppliers to provide a free programme for teenagers this summer.
It could involve:
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The delivery of content through NCS digital channels, focusing on the skills and life lessons not learned in the classroom.
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Mobilising young volunteers to help the country get back on its feet as social distancing guidelines begin to be lifted.
The trust has said that the scheme will return in 2021 and vowed to support its school partners over the coming months.
Mark Gifford, chief executive of the NCS Trust, said: “We completely understand the disappointment this will cause to teenagers, parents and schools throughout the country. But we’re absolutely committed to our vision of bringing young people together and supporting them to thrive as connected, confident and caring citizens.
“We believe in the power of young people to help themselves and others in times of crisis, and so through our digital content we’ll be equipping them with the necessary skills, advice and guidance to be both active in their local communities and a leading force in our nation’s recovery from Covid-19.
“We have the opportunity to engage with young people in a different way, creating the chance for them to still have a summer that turns ‘No You Can’t’ into ‘No We Can’. Never has that can-do attitude been more needed by our country than it is today.”
