Frequently Asked Questions

What is NCS?

Welcome to NCS. We’re here to help young people grow their strengths. Over 750,000 young people have already done NCS, and in 2023 we’re offering a range of experiences — away from home, local community, and online — which you can find out about here.

What type of organisation is NCS?

NCS was founded in 2009 as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. In December 2019, NCS transitioned to become a Royal Charter body to secure its future as a national institution. NCS is supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 

How can I contact NCS?

You can give us a call on 0800 197 8010 between Monday 8am - 8pm, Tuesday to Friday 12pm – 8pm, and Saturday 8am – 2pm. Or, if you prefer, write us a message on the live chat. 

If you’re the parent, guardian, or carer of a young person who is signed up for an away from home NCS experience, you’ll receive a phone number to call in case of emergencies.

How does NCS help young people to grow their strengths? 

NCS offers a range of different types of experiences which are designed to help young people grow their strengths, boost their confidence, learn new skills, build their resilience, and make new friends. To find out more, click here. 

Which partners does NCS work with?

To deliver the away from home experiences, NCS works in partnership with a consortium of Ingeus and The Youth Hostels Association (YHA). 

Ingeus is a commercial organisation that designs and delivers services which solve complex challenges caused by social and technological change. 

YHA is a charity with the mission of providing everyone — but especially young people of limited means — a greater knowledge, love, and care of the countryside. YHA largely achieves this by providing youth hostels and other forms of accommodation. 

Ingeus and YHA work together with a variety of outdoor education providers, charities, youth organisations, social enterprises, blue chip companies, and Community Interest Companies to deliver different elements of the away from home experiences. This collaboration ensures that specialists from different fields are able to support young people in growing their strengths over the five-day experience.

To deliver the NCS local community experiences, we award grants to local organisations across England — including youth centres, community centres, sports clubs, local theatre and drama groups.

What type of experiences does NCS offer? 

In 2023, NCS is offering three types of experiences to help young people grow their strengths: away from home, local community, and online. 

• The five-day away from home experiences are focused on one of three themes: employability (‘Boss It’), life skills (‘Live It’), or social action (‘Change It’). You can find out more about these here. 
• The community experiences are taking place all over the country, giving young people the opportunity to take part in regular activities in their local area.
• The online experiences can be done from home — on a laptop or smartphone. There are a range of different formats available, from content which can be consumed at your own pace, to live sessions with other young people and experts. 

Each experience gives young people the opportunity to grow their strengths, build their confidence, learn new skills, and make new friends with people from different backgrounds.

How much does it cost?

The local community and online experiences are free of charge. The price of away from home experience is £95 — and bursaries are available. 

Did you know that the cost of providing an away from home experience is up to £1,500 per person? So £95 is a pretty sweet deal, as the rest of the costs are funded by the government.

What skills will I learn by doing NCS?

You’ll get the chance to meet new people, expand your horizons, learn new talents, and build your confidence. 

Will I make friends?

Yes! Why are we so confident? Well, thousands of young people have done an NCS experience where, at the start, they didn’t know anyone — and they left with lots of lovely new mates. So don’t be worried if you don't know anyone to start with, most people will be in the same boat.

Can I come with my mates?

If you’ve got a friend who’s signed up for the same experience, we’ll try our very best to place you both in the same activity group. Just drop an email to askncs@ingeus.co.uk, give us a call on 0800 197 8010, or write us a message on the live chat. And remember, whether you come with your bestie or on your own, you’ll make loads of new mates.

Does doing NCS count towards my UCAS points?

No it doesn't, but UCAS looks for more than just points. Doing NCS shows that you have a wide range of skills and experience. And while we’re on the subject, employers are also looking for more than just grades — so NCS will look great on your CV!

What is an NCS away from home experience?

An away from home experience is your chance to spend five days (and four nights) away from home in a beautiful outdoor location, having fun, learning about yourself, and growing your strengths. There are three different themes to choose from: Boss It, Change It, and Live It. 

No matter which of the three themes you choose, you’ll meet a bunch of new mates, explore your adventurous side, and make memories to last a lifetime. It’s set to be a fun-filled five days, but you’ll never be forced to do any activity, and you’ll have time to simply relax and unwind. 

To grab your place, or find out more, click here. 

What are the different themes for the away from home experiences?

There are three themes:

BOSS IT
Do you see yourself as having the potential to make it in the world of business? Then this five-day adventure away from home is the one for you. You’ll take part in a business masterclass and action-packed challenges designed to get your creativity flowing, build your confidence, and grow your skills.

CHANGE IT
Are you passionate about making a positive difference in the world? On this five-day adventure away from home, you’ll explore the important issues facing society, get inspired, and learn new skills. If you want to share your ideas for a social action project, then you’ll have the opportunity to do that too!  

LIVE IT
Discover life hacks you didn’t know you needed. On this five-day adventure away from home, you’ll learn survival skills, grow your confidence, and test your limits by getting stuck into adrenaline-filled activities.

How long is an away from home experience?

Five days (and four nights!). 

Will I ever be forced to do a certain activity?

Nope, not at all. You can absolutely sit out if you don’t want to do something. There's no pressure, and no one will ever force you to do anything you don’t want to do! But, what we might do is encourage you to challenge yourself where you can — you might just surprise yourself. But in the end it’ll always be your decision. 

Will there be wifi?

Good question, nobody wants to be offline for too long! It’ll depend on what you’re doing each day, but most venues will have access to wifi and there'll be sockets to keep your phone juiced up. Your local NCS team will be able to share more information on whether there’ll be activities (e.g. trekking up a mountain!) where the wifi signal might be low.

What will the food be like? 

An important question! The food varies between locations so you could be eating at self-service canteens, or getting your chef’s hat on and doing some food prep yourself. 

Will my dietary requirements be catered for?

Of course! We don’t want any dietary requirements or allergies to get in the way of you having a great experience, so we ensure that all of our venues cater for everyone. Once you’ve signed up for an away from home experience, your parent/guardian will receive a Joiner Form where they can let us know about your dietary requirements. Alternatively, if you’d like to chat about it, call 0800 197 8010 or send us a message on our live chat.

Can I take part in more than one NCS away from home experience? 

While you can only do one away from home experience, you can do multiple local community and online experiences. To find out more about those, head here.

How do I sign up for an away from home experience?

Simple! Just head to MyNCS to create an account, take a look at all of our experiences, and book your spot. Or you can always give us a call on 0800 1978010 and a member of the NCS team will help you with the signup process.

When will I know if I've got a place?

Once you’ve signed up through MyNCS, your parent/guardian will receive a Joiner Form to fill out. After they fill that in and email it back to us, we’ll check all the details and let you know if we need anything else (e.g. further medical or support information). When that’s all tied up, we’ll assign you a place. So keep an eye on your inbox for the confirmation email!

When will I hear from my local NCS team?

After you’ve been assigned your place, your local NCS team will be in touch. You’ll be invited to check out MyNCS where you’ll see everything you need to know about your experience. You may even have the chance to attend events where you can meet other young people who’re going on NCS — so you won't have to wait until your NCS experience for the fun to begin!

What if I need to change the date after I've signed up?

If you can no longer make the away from home experience that you’ve signed up for, let us know ASAP and we’ll try to get you booked on a date that better fits your plans.

Where will my away from home experience take place?

They are taking place all over the country! You’ll be allocated a place on the one that best fits with the theme you want to do, the dates you’re available, and that’s close to where you live. You can check out all the experiences we have to offer and pick which is best for you on MyNCS.

How will I get there?

Our travel hubs are located in towns and cities across England, and they are all easily accessible by public transport. Whichever travel hub you choose, that’ll be where you’ll board the coach (which will take you to the location for the experience). You’ll also be able to meet NCS staff at the travel hub, and parents, guardians and carers will have the opportunity to ask any questions. 

The travel hub that you choose will also be the drop-off location for when you’re travelling back home again.

How many other young people will I be with?

You’ll be in a team of around 15 other young people from your local area. You might be taking part with classmates from your school or college, or you might be meeting everyone for the first time. That’s the beauty of it — lots of new mates await on NCS!

I'm trans, what support will be available for me?

Firstly, just know that you are so welcome on NCS! All of our experiences are open to everyone, and of course that includes trans people. We’ll do everything we can to create an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves. If you have any questions or concerns — about anything at all… pronouns, toilets, changing room facilities, or anything else!  — give us a call on 0800 197 8010 or head to the live chat.

I'm a young carer, what support will be available for me?

While we can’t provide respite cover, we can work with your local authority to look into arranging appropriate cover. We want everyone to be able to experience NCS so get in touch to discuss how we can best support you.

I have additional needs, can I come on an experience?

For sure! It’s our job to make each away from home experience accessible for everyone, so we’ll do everything we can to ensure you have a positive experience. After you’ve signed up, your parent/guardian will receive a Joiner Form, where they can tell us how we can support you in the best way possible. Sometimes we might arrange an additional phone call to discuss your needs. If you’d like to talk to one of our team before you sign up, just give us a call on 0800 197 8010 or head to the live chat.

Will I be able to practise my faith?

Yes! We’ll always provide a designated multi-faith space for those that wish to pray, quietly reflect or meditate. Plus, if you have any dietary requirements, like kosher or halal — or anything else for that matter — let us know!

Where will I sleep? 

Each away from home experience takes place in a beautiful outdoor setting, and the sleeping arrangements vary between locations — some are dormitory style, while others are more like safari lodges! The accommodation is split into male and female, and if you have any concerns do give us a call on 0800 197 8010 or head to the live chat. Rest assured we’ll do everything in our power to make sure everyone feels comfortable with their sleeping arrangements.

How much £ is an away from home experience?

The price is £95, but bursaries are available. 

Did you know that the cost of the experience is up to £1,500 per person? So £95 is a pretty sweet deal, as the rest of the costs are funded by the government.

What if I can’t afford it?

If you need help paying for your away from home experience, you can apply for a bursary and have it paid by either NCS or your school/college. Just give us a call on 0800 197 8010 before you sign up.

What's included in the price?

Good news: everything is included! That means all your accommodation, travel, and every activity is included in the price. Your meals are included too, but please bring a packed lunch for your first day. 

Will I need to pay for anything during the experience? 

Nope! Some people might want to buy things like snacks, but you don’t need to. 

What safeguarding processes are in place?

The health, wellbeing, and safety of every young person are of utmost importance to us. Therefore we have a number of safeguarding processes in place for our away from home experiences:

• Each away from home experience goes through a thorough risk assessment.
• Every member of the team is fully qualified, trained, and DBS-checked.
• Every young person on the experience is given a code of conduct to ensure their safety and the safety of others.
• There’s always a ‘go-to’ member of staff for young people to talk to if they're feeling worried, anxious or simply want to chat. 

A team is available 24 hours a day to deal with any safeguarding issues, and to ensure that every young person has a safe and positive experience on their away from home experience.  

Weren't previous away from home experiences longer?

In previous years, NCS experiences were two weeks away from home and each single experience tried to cover all three themes — meaning less time was spent on each area.
 

What is an NCS local community experience?

The NCS local community experiences will be launching later in 2023.

How long is a local community experience?

This varies! Some will be one-offs, while others will be regular events. But the important thing is that each local community experience is long enough to learn new skills, meet new people, make a positive difference in your local area, and have fun with your new friends! 

How do I sign up for an NCS experience? 

If you’d like to do an away from home experience, you can sign up to MyNCS to see what’s on offer and to book your spot. Head to our local communities page to check out experiences near to where you live. And take a look at our online experiences here. If you have any questions about signing up, you can always give us a call on 0800 197 8010.

How old do I need to be to sign up for NCS?

NCS is designed for 16 and 17-year-olds. Saying that, you can go this summer as a 15-year-old, so long as you turn 16 on or by 31 August 2024. If you've already turned 18 by then, you unfortunately won’t be eligible. Sorry folks.

But there are some circumstances where you’ll be able to do NCS if you’re 18 or older, including:

• If you have an Education, Health, and Care Plan.
• If you’re moving towards leaving the care of your local authority. 
• If you’re receiving statutory support.

In these circumstances, you may be eligible to do NCS up to the age of 24. If you’d like to chat with us about this, give us a call on 0800 197 8010 or drop us a message on the live chat. 

I’m an unaccompanied asylum seeker, can I sign up for NCS!

Yes! Everyone is welcome on NCS. Your key worker will just need to provide the necessary documentation and act as your ‘guardian’ for any concerns. If you’d like to chat to us about it, give us a call on 0800 197 8010. 

Can I speak to someone before signing up?

Yep! You can talk to a member of our team by calling 0800 197 8010. Lines are open Monday 8am - 8pm, Tuesday to Friday 12pm – 8pm, and Saturday 8am – 2pm.

How can I convince my parent/guardian to let me sign up?

It's a tough one to answer, without knowing what their concerns might be. You might want to ask them to give us a call on 0800 197 8010 and we can answer any questions they might have. You may also like to tell them a few choice facts about what you’ll gain from doing NCS… you’ll get to grow your strengths, make lots of new mates, try new things that’ll push you out of your comfort zone (in the best way possible!), build your confidence, gain life skills, and give back to your community. 

What’s the price? 

The community and online experiences are free of charge. An away from home experience is £95 — but you can apply for a bursary and have the price paid by NCS or your school/college. 

Am I eligible for a bursary?

You’ll be eligible for a bursary if you meet one of more of these criteria:

• You are care experienced. 
• You have an Education, Health and Care Plan.
• You are a young carer.
• You are in receipt of free school meals.
• You live in a household in receipt of Universal Credit.
• Your school/college is covering the price.

Getting a bursary means the price of an away from home experience will be totally covered, and you won’t need to pay a penny towards it. 

I’ve paid for an away from home experience, but I need to cancel. Can I get a refund?

If you let us know within 14 days of making your payment, you’ll be able to get a full refund. After 14 days, you’ll no longer be eligible for a refund.

How can I contact my teen while they’re on an away from home experience?

If your teen has their own phone, they can bring that with them and they’ll be able to chat to you during their downtime. You’ll also receive a contact number from your local NCS team to call in case of an emergency.

What adjustments can be made for my teen who has additional needs?

At NCS, we’ll do everything we can to ensure all of our experiences are inclusive and accessible at every stage. Once your teen is signed up, we’ll email you a Joiner Form where you can tell us everything we need to know in order to support them in the best way possible. Sometimes we might also arrange an additional phone call to discuss their needs. The adjustments that we make can include (but aren’t limited to) physical spaces, the level and type of staffing support, equipment and activities. If you’d like to talk to one of our team about how we can support your teen, do give us a call on 0800 197 8010 or head to the live chat.

Who are the staff on the away from home experiences?

Rest assured, your teen will be in excellent hands on their away from home experience. The experiences are run by employees from local NCS teams and seasonal staff. Our seasonal staff come from a variety of backgrounds — teachers, youth workers, and even young people who’ve previously done NCS. They go through a robust recruitment process to ensure they’re suitable, have full training, and they are required to complete an enhanced DBS check too.

What safeguarding processes are in place?

The health, wellbeing, and safety of every young person are of utmost importance to us. Therefore we have a number of safeguarding processes in place for our away from home experiences:

• Each away from home experience goes through a thorough risk assessment.
• Every member of the team is fully qualified, trained, and DBS-checked.
• Every young person on the experience is given a code of conduct to ensure their safety and the safety of others.
• There’s always a ‘go-to’ member of staff for young people to talk to if they're feeling worried, anxious, or simply want to chat. 

A team is available 24 hours a day to deal with any safeguarding issues, and to ensure that every young person has a safe and positive experience on their away from home experience.