NCS Trust responds to the outcome of the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review
26 November 2020
HM Treasury has announced that NCS Trust has secured funding of nearly £100m for 2021. Read what this means for NCS and our plans for the future.
This announcement comes as a result of the completion of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the process where the UK Government sets out its departments’ budgets for the year ahead.
The funding, as well as securing plans for 2021 , will also enable NCS to continue having an impact in those areas of the country that are in most need of levelling up and to help Britain ‘build back better’.
NCS Trust will continue to deliver on its key objectives around social cohesion, social mobility and social engagement. As outlined in the Trust’s Business Plan, NCS has had the greatest positive impact on young people from under-represented groups: 23% of participants are eligible for Free School Meals, compared to 14% nationally, while 29% of participants in 2019 were BAME, compared to 25% nationally.
Working with its diverse network of partners, NCS will support the work of the wider youth sector as well as schools and colleges across the country.
NCS has clear areas of focus in its plans for next year:
- Tackling youth unemployment, both through actively engaging in the Government’s Kickstart scheme and in continuing to help teens from diverse backgrounds become ‘work-ready and world-ready’
- Helping young people stay connected, engaged, informed and entertained through our online digital resources
- Further supporting local communities through social action and doing good, whilst actively engaging in the wider youth sector, supporting the #iwill movement and the Back Youth Alliance.
NCS Trust CEO Mark Gifford said: “We welcome the announcement by HM Treasury that NCS Trust has secured funding for 2021. The Trust, like many public sector organisations relying on government funding, has already been operating within significant budget constraints.
“NCS is more determined than ever to play an important role in helping to get the country back on its feet. We will work to provide crucial life skills and support to young people while ensuring we continue to offer value for money to the taxpayer.
“Over the coming weeks, we will be working through the details of our plans with partners, looking to support as many young people as possible through our programmes and the work NCS delivers across the regions.
“We are optimistic about the future for NCS and for the young people of our country as we emerge from the shadow of COVID. We look forward to continuing to deliver our vision of ‘a country of connected, confident, and caring citizens where everyone feels at home.”
Since NCS was founded, more than 600,000 young people have been on an NCS programme, contributing to 14.5 million hours of volunteering and delivering £3.49 worth of value back to society for every £1 invested.
Further information on NCS is available at www.wearencs.com.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, please contact: media@ncstrust.org.uk
About NCS (National Citizen Service)
NCS is an experience like no other. Designed for 16-17 year olds across England and Northern Ireland, NCS is a youth programme that runs every summer and autumn, during school holidays. Teens get the opportunity to mix with a new crowd, live away from home for a while, take on new challenges and in the process build lifelong friendships.
The programme is all about emboldening young people – by giving them a taste of independence and equipping them with essential skills for life. NCSers then get a chance to take these new-found skills for a test-run in their local community.
NCS is dedicated to providing a platform to make sure young people are heard and can engage with their community by completing passion projects, raising awareness and providing solutions to the issues they care about.
The experience might last just a few weeks, but the impact? That lasts a lot longer. Since 2009 nearly 600,000 young people have taken part in NCS, completing over 14.5 million hours of community action, and gaining priceless life experiences.
NCS costs no more than £50 - with bursaries and support for those with special educational needs or disabilities also available. NCS’s mission is to give every young person the life-changing experience.
NCS delivers value for money. £3.49 of benefits to society for every £1 spent. During lockdown NCS has had over 1.7 million unique engagements with teens through its ‘Staying Connected’ hub.
About NCS Trust
National Citizen Service Trust is an Arm's Length Body of DCMS incorporated by Royal
Charter and established to shape, support, champion and lead a thriving National
Citizen Service.
National Citizen Service Trust is registered in England and Wales with Royal Charter
Body number RC000894. Our registered office is at The Pembroke Building,
Kensington Village, Avonmore Road, London, W14 8DG.
To learn more about NCS Trust visit LinkedIn
To find out more visit wearencs.com
Visit NCS social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
