It has been such a challenging year for young people, and with many young people out of face to face school and college because of the pandemic, it has been very difficult for them to take up extracurricular activities alongside friends.

So, it was incredibly rewarding to be able to visit the first round of young people at the National Citizens Service (NCS) programme in Stockport since 2019. Marking 10 years since the programme’s innovation in 2011, NCS has empowered a generation of young people through community work and projects.

I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Stockport project earlier this month, where I met a group of fantastic volunteers supporting groups of young people as they brainstormed, created and realised multiple brilliant community projects. These groups presented their fundraising ideas confidently which covered a wide range of social issues including supporting women’s shelters, Age UK and more.

NCS is a fantastic programme for young people as their time at school draws to a close and they begin to strongly consider their futures. Through this scheme, they are equipped with vital skills like teamwork, presenting, research and communication. NCS gives them a vital experience outside of a school or college environment, where they can innovate and meet new people, all whilst supporting and uplifting the local community.

Congratulations to NCS and thank you so much to the organisations that are involved in organising these excellent projects.