NCS FAQ

All your questions about NCS answered here! Click on the question to see the answer

1. What does NCS involve?
2. When is NCS happening?
3. Where is NCS happening?
4. How much of my time do I need to give?
5. Where are the residentials going to be?
6. Do I have to attend all of it?
7. What if I’ve got a holiday planned?
8. What if I start it but then find I don’t like it?
9. Can I join NCS with my friends?
10. What if I’ve got a job? Can I work and do the programme?
11. What if I have caring responsibilities or disabilities that will make it hard for me to get involved?
12. What do you mean by ‘social action’?
13. Will I need money to get around?
14. How much does it cost to take part in NCS?
15. Can I get any qualifications out of NCS?
16. Could this help me get a job in the future?
17. What happens at the end of my NCS programme?

What does NCS involve?

The programme involves young people in a local area coming together in teams (usually teams of 15). While young people can join NCS with friends, teams will also be mixed giving everyone a chance to make new friends and meet people from different backgrounds.

The programme has a number of phases, although different projects may vary this slightly:

Phase 1: The beginning
Here you get chance to meet your team through a series of fun team building activity days while getting an introduction to National Citizen Service.

Phase 2: The great outdoors
An away residential (Monday to Friday) combining outdoor activities and mental challenges which are designed to be challenging but fun will help your team learn how to work well as a unit. Other NCS teams are also likely to be at the residential centre, so there will be more opportunities to meet new people.

Phase 3: Your home turf
This is also a residential but at a venue much closer to home and will give your team a chance to learn new skills while finding out about the local area.

Phase 4: Make a difference
Now you and your team have a real impact in the community. By meeting and consulting with local people and charities you will begin to test your ideas and start to plan your social action project. You will then do your social action project either during weekdays, evenings, weekends…whatever time is best for everyone involved!

Phase 5: Celebrate
Here your team will have a celebration or ‘graduation’ event plus attend a volunteering fair or ‘market place’ with a chance to find out more about options for future volunteering.

Phase 6: The future
You and your team members will be part of an ‘alumni’ network, with opportunities to access training sessions and keep up with the class of 2012 online and at reunions. The end of summer is not the end of National Citizen Service for you.

When is NCS happening?

NCS will be building up towards the summer but different groups start off at slightly different times of the year. Most NCS groups will plan to start their programmes near the beginning of July and everyone will finish in September.

Where is NCS happening?

NCS is happening all over the country. Find your nearest NCS project.

How much time will I have to give?

You’ll be expected to be involved Monday-Friday between 9.00am to 5.00pm, though some local projects might vary the way they run things.

Where are the residentials going to be?

The first residential will be at an outdoor activity centre, outside of the area you live in. Transport to and from the residential will be provided.

If your project is running a second residential week this will be somewhere within your home town, like a student halls of residence, or a residential training centre. For more details ask your local provider.

Do I have to attend all of it?

Yes. If you sign up to the programme we want you to be able to commit to attending every part of it. It’s important that you complete it as you’ll be working as a team with other young people, and they’ll be depending on your contributions. There may be times when you’ve a good reason why you can’t show up, but these need to be kept to a minimum if you want to succeed.

What if I’ve got a holiday planned?

If your holiday dates clash with those of NCS then you’ll need to check with your local provider to see if it’s worth getting involved. Missing large chunks of the programme will mean that you won’t get nearly as much out it, and your NCS team mates will achieve a lot more with you around!

What if I start it but then find I don’t like it?

We hope that everyone will enjoy NCS, but for those who find it less fun, we’d ask you to try and stick with it, and learn something important. We want you to try new experiences, and challenge yourself in a way that might put you outside of your comfort zone, or work with types of people you may not have encountered before. This might not always be easy, but it should be well worth it.

Can I join NCS with my friends?

You might well find that you know one or two people on your NCS team, but part of the point of the programme is to meet new people, and to make new friends. By mixing the skills and strengths of young people from all backgrounds, we reckon you’ll have a really brilliant experience.

What if I’ve got a job? Can I work and do the programme?

Most programme activities will happen between Monday and Friday, and mostly during daytime hours, so you’ll need to be available for these times. The first three weeks of the programme will be full-time, so it’s important to make sure you’re balancing your life and getting enough rest – we don’t want you burning out!

What if I have caring responsibilities or disabilities that will make it hard for me to get involved?

We want NCS to be as inclusive as possible. If there are issues you’re afraid will get in the way of you taking part of getting the most from NCS talk to your local NCS lead about the help that we can offer.

What do you mean by ‘social action’?

As part of your NCS programme, you’ll work with your team on leading a social action project. This means that you’ll take a look at the problems in your community, work out how you can provide a solution to these problems through the skills you’ve got, fundraise for some money to support you, and then put together a project in your community that will put your solutions into action.

Will I need money to get around?

The idea is that all the activities for the social action project will take place within your local community, so transport costs will be minimal. If you need to travel further afield, ask your local provider if there is money to cover your transport.

How much does it cost to take part in NCS?

The entire NCS experience (including residentials, accommodation, food, transport, taster days, training, a graduation party and more) is just £50 per person.

Don’t let costs be a barrier though, speak to your local project t find out about the bursaries that are available because we're committed to making sure that people from all backgrounds can take part, and that no one should be excluded by cost.

Can I get any qualifications out of NCS?

At the moment, no. That said, with the huge number of positive activities you’ll be engaging in, there should be plenty of new skills, and good experiences to stick on your CV by the end of the programme!

Could this help me get a job in the future?

Absolutely. We want young people to show what they’re capable of when they’re asked to make a difference, and by getting involved with the NCS we hope you’ll be able to show employers that too. If you’re worried that your CV is looking a little bare, then a summer filled with team-work, social action, and learning new skills should certainly give you something to show off about!

What happens at the end of my NCS programme?

By September 2012, we hope you’ll come away from your NCS graduation event with a real motivation for making change in your community, or with a better idea of where you want to go next. You’ll have gained links to lots of local organisations that you could look for voluntary placements with. If your NCS team worked well together, you could carry on your good work, putting social action projects together; you might even start your own social enterprise business!

The Catch22 NCS Partnership will also be looking out for young people who can help us shape and run the NCS in years to come – so you could support us in making sure that next year’s NCS is even better!

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