Henry Smith MP has presented graduation certificates to young people who have completed National Citizen Service, organised locally by the Crawley Town Community Foundation.
The ceremony took place at the Checkatrade.com Stadium on Monday, 19th September.
Henry said;
“Congratulations to the graduates of the Crawley Town Community Foundation Summer 2016 National Citizen Service programme.
“I’ve been pleased to award certificates at the end of each NCS programme the Community Foundation have run, and I’m delighted to see NCS in Crawley continue to go from strength to strength.
“A key part of each NCS programme is the social action project, which raises awareness of our local community and voluntary groups among young people. I’m grateful to the Summer 2016 NCS participants for their fundraising efforts on behalf of groups including Crawley Open House and Save the Children.
“I welcome the Government’s continued commitment to ensure there’s a place on National Citizen Service for every young person. NCS gives opportunities to, and builds confidence for, Crawley young people as individuals, as well as making our town and world a better place.”
National Citizen Service is a programme open to 15 to 17-year-olds. It is designed to encourage personal and social development through a range of activities and projects requiring leadership, teamwork and communication.
The initiative was launched by the then-Prime Minister, David Cameron, and provides opportunities for young people in Crawley and around the country. It is organised locally by the Crawley Town Community Foundation.
As part of the 2016 Summer Programme, participants undertook fundraising activities for a range of charities including Crawley Open House, St Catherine’s Hospice, Olive Tree Cancer Support and the Springboard Project, and also presented their social action projects in front of a Dragons Den-style panel.
The graduation ceremony took place at the Checkatrade.com Stadium, in the Suite which is adorned with pictures of players from years gone by including Sergio Torres. Also in attendance was the former chairman of Crawley Town Football Club, Victor Marley.
André Benham, NCS Manager for the Crawley Town Community Foundation, commented;
“The young people of Crawley who participated in NCS this summer are not only a credit to their friends and families, but also to their local community for raising awareness of their selected causes and fundraising over £4,000 for a number of charities such as Crawley Open House, YMCA DLG Crawley Foyer, Save The Children, Olive Tree Cancer Support, St Catherine’s Hospice and the Springboard Project.
“They should all be very proud of themselves, and have certainly come out more confident and open minded young people with a greater appreciation for the issues in their community.”
The Crawley Town Community Foundation have further NCS programmes planned:
- Autumn: 22nd-30th October 2016 (with two additional weekends)
- Summer: July/August 2017
Taking part in NCS costs a maximum of £50, which covers food and accommodation, and bursaries are available. The Government contributes £1,500 towards each young person taking part in NCS.
To register interest in taking part in National Citizen Service in Crawley, please email: [email protected], call 01293 410000 or visit: www.ncsyes.co.uk
Earlier this month in the House of Commons the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Civil Society, Rob Wilson MP, reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring there is a place on NCS for every young person who wishes to take part, and confirmed that this summer saw more young people than ever before participate in the scheme across the country.