Anyone's teen participated in NCS(national citizenship service)?

[Jellified]

It's for 15 to 17 year olds and is the best £50 I have ever spent. Ds has come back more confident and happier than he's ever been.

My DD booked on this in Jan payment was processed. All of her friends booked on with her.
Fast forward to Easter, she mentions that all of her friends have received information. I chased it up with NCS to be told. Sorry your booking was taken by a temp & even though we took your payment we didnt book her a place.
Nothing they can do tough.
So after all the hard work of GCSEs all her friends with be going off enjoying themselves & she is the only one left behind.

Just to add about the positive impact following NCS: My son did NCS after GCSEs last year instead of work experience. It was the making of him!

After the 4 weeks of NCS he was offered the chance to go on an interview workshop day and then an interview with one of the following: Starbucks, New Look, Mayor's office. He chose Starbucks and was offered part time work in a local branch (4 hours after school one day and 4 hours on Sunday - fits in nicely around homework and exams).

I doubt he would have had the confidence/motivation to apply/get a part time job if he hadn't had done NCS. He is now earning a bit, and learning vital skills like working in a team, time keeping and customer service which has been amazing for his confidence and self esteem.

PS. I think the NCS follow up scheme is called The Challenge. It also has links with Lloyds Bank, Bloomberg as well as other businesses and is for NCS graduates.

Doordye that doesn't seem right at all. All I can say is DD did it last summer and a number of people dropped off at the last minute so much that they were offering £30 to who could refer someone else. Which actually reminds me that DD did and they did say to her they would give her the money when back then at the ceremony but never did!

All this to say do contact them to say that your DD would still like to go if someone drops off.

Doordye - my DS is booked to go this summer. Whilst I'm very excited to see the changes other people report I do have to say the admin seems a little hit and miss. Our provider here offered three phases, only one of which worked for DS because of holidays already booked but we had one email confirming him on that phase then a few months later another email with joining instructions for different phase - it was sorted but I'm hoping for no more mix ups.

It does however suggest worth keeping in touch with your DDs provider as they may have movement between phases that frees spaces nearer the time. Good luck

I found the admin pretty poor to be honest, but DS3 especially enjoyed the community challenge part and got really stuck in. The outdoor challenge part was a little too basic fo him as he had done a lot of scouting, wild camping etc.
Tried to book DS4 on for this year but he is away with scouts until mid august and there are no programmes running locally that start then.