Posted: 22/09/17
Youngsters celebrate being model citizens
More than 150 young people took to the stage at two celebration events in Worksop this week, rewarding them for taking part in a-once-in-a-lifetime project, hosted by West Nottinghamshire College.
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Graduation night one participants have some photo fun
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Some of the participants from the first night's graduation take to the stage to tell their stories
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Great team spirit was evident amongst the NCS groups
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Participants from NCS celebrate on the second awards night
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North Notts Community Arena played host to the NCS celebration
The teenagers have been involved in the National Citizen Service (NCS) scheme, which is designed to support young people in their transition to adulthood through residential projects and community-based activities.
North Notts Community Arena played host to two graduation ceremonies for the 15 to 17-year-olds on the nights of Tuesday and Wednesday (19 and 20 September) who had taken part in a range of activities and skill building tasks, via West Nottinghamshire College.
The summer NCS group spent a week at Oaklands Manor Outdoor Leadership Centre in Buxton, camping out and team building. This was followed by a week residential at Loughborough or Worksop College, where they learnt many employability skills.
During the third week of the project, groups were based at North Notts College and West Nottinghamshire College. This is where they planned a range of social action projects designed to aid communities and charities of their choice, implementing them in week four.
The young people who took part in the scheme undertook nearly 10,000 hours of social action between them and have raised almost £4,450 for their chosen charities as part of the programme. Charities included MIND, Mansfield Soup Kitchen, Clumber Park, Coppafeel breast cancer charity and Lawn Park Care Home in Sutton-in-Ashfield.
The NCS is a government-led initiative which provides activities such as outdoor physical challenges, residential projects, community-based projects and countryside camp-out challenges.
Wider learning team leader at West Nottinghamshire College, Robert Pearce, said: “I was proud to see everyone together celebrating and collecting their certificates of achievement. There have been some really imaginative and caring campaigns created by these groups.
“Everyone has made so much effort to bond together, give it their best, and learn new skills. I was even prouder to watch the young people take to the stage to speak to the audience about their experiences and how the programme has boosted their self-confidence.”
A further 150 young people will celebrate graduating from the summer NCS programme in October at Mansfield-based Portland College.
