NCS motivates student to go to University
The National Citizen Service (NCS) programme has impacted numerous young people’s lives in a positive way but none more than Sheffield Wednesday supporter Cara Harrison.
The bubbly teenager has transformed herself from a shy high school student who was unsure what her next steps would be to being accepted by four universities to study Biomedical Science.
Cara puts her new self-found confidence and belief down to her experiences as an NCS student with the Owls and believes NCS played a crucial role in helping her obtain a place at university.
On Friday, Sheffield Wednesday will be hosting their annual NCS match day when Birmingham City visit Hillsborough, live in front of the Sky cameras.
Cara, who still supports the NCS programme at Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme on a voluntary basis, hopes more people will follow her path and say yes to NCS.
“It is good that clubs participate in NCS match day and important that we spread the word.
“Everyone needs to be clear how much of a positive programme NCS is and how it can help young people.
“The NCS has done a lot for me so I want to carry on helping and raising awareness for the programme.
“I had to step out of my comfort zone when I joined the programme, however it was fun and perfect to do in-between finishing school and starting college.
“The NCS is something that everyone should be doing and I have so many lifetime fond memories from my time on the programme. Because of the NCS, I have met some good friends now and I wouldn’t have met them if I didn’t join.
“My confidence instantly boosted and my communication skills improved. I can now talk in front of a crowd of people I don’t know and feel good about it whereas I didn’t before NCS.
“The NCS has taught me independence and responsibility. It will be always something I look back on fondly.”
Cara will this year be an NCS mentor for Sheffield Wednesday before heading off to university in September, with her destination of study yet to be decided.
She continued: “I want to be a genetic health scientist now and the NCS swayed my decision. I knew I wanted to do that degree, but I didn’t realise how many good opportunities were at the end of it.
“I remember writing my University application and it heavily referenced the NCS and my experiences. There was so much to write about the NCS because the opportunities are endless.”
The National Citizen Service (NCS) programme has a proven success rate of helping 15-17 year olds build their confidence levels and develop important life skills. It is a chance for teens to shake things up and develop new skills for whatever post-GCSE life has to throw at them. It changes how teens see the world and has a huge impact on communities across the UK with over 1.9 million hours of social action taking place across the country – the equivalent to building 74 Olympic Stadiums and 1 The Great Wall of China.
To find out how you can get involved in the NCS programme visit – https://www.ncsefltrust.co.uk/
