Statement from NCS following the announcement from DCMS secretary Lisa Nandy today that the government will wind down National Citizen Service and close the Trust
NEWS Tuesday 12 November 2024
We are sad and disappointed by the announcement from Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Lisa Nandy, today that the government will wind down National Citizen Service and close the Trust.
NCS was founded to help build a more cohesive society through supporting young people at a crucial moment in their lives, through connecting young people across many walks of life, building their skills and confidence, and empowering them to make a difference in their communities.
We are immensely proud of the impact we have had for young people. Together with hundreds of youth sector partners and thousands of youth sector staff, we’ve delivered over a million experiences to young people, and participants have taken part in over 18 million hours of volunteering. As one of the most rigorously evaluated youth initiatives in the country, NCS has consistently been shown to have a positive impact on young people - who report improved wellbeing, greater optimism about the future, increased understanding of those who are different to them, and a greater commitment to get involved in social action and volunteering.
It is our heartfelt belief that there has never been a more important time for the kind of work that NCS delivers. Young people are facing an increasingly uncertain future due to the disproportionate impact of Covid on their generation. The combination of an enduring cost of living crisis and the increasing spread of disinformation is sowing discord and division. We hope that the government will continue to support youth initiatives with an explicit focus on building a cohesive society, and we stand ready to share our insights and learning as the Secretary of State develops her new youth strategy.
Every colleague at NCS works tirelessly to support young people to grow their strengths every day. This news is deeply upsetting to each and every one of our colleagues. Please bear with us as we navigate this very difficult time.
We want to express the deepest thanks to all the young people who have participated in NCS over the years, many of whom have gone on to work on NCS programmes, or join our Youth Advisory Board - we have been endlessly inspired by them all. And we also want to share our gratitude for the partners who have delivered transformative experiences for young people, and without whom NCS wouldn’t have been possible. And finally thank you to our NCS Trust colleagues, who work every day to support the young people we were formed to serve.
One thing we can all be grateful for, is that our vision of “a country of connected, confident and caring citizens where everyone feels at home”, will live on long after NCS has gone.
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For more information, please contact:
NCS Press Office – email media@ncstrust.org.uk or call us on 020 3920 8576.
