Chelsea and Liverpool unite off the pitch through NCS

Whilst they might be rivals on the pitch for the Carabao Cup Final clash on Sunday, off the pitch, Chelsea FC Foundation and Liverpool FC Foundation have been sharing the same goal to support young people on the National Citizen Service (NCS) programme.

Designed for 16 and 17-year-olds, NCS offers an inclusive summer programme that helps young people develop the skills, experience and self-belief they need to achieve their potential – and smash their future goals. NCS aims to make a life-changing difference to young people and how they approach life after school.

CHELSEA FC FOUNDATION

NCS has provided a life-changing experience for Alex. At 18-years old, he found himself surrounded by uncertainty and a lack of structure. However, Alex’s decision to sign up to NCS last summer with CFC Foundation was about to change all of that.

The first week provided Alex with opportunities he’d never had before, which included one of her highlights – a tour of Stamford Bridge. The confidence-building and public speaking workshops could not have come at a better time, giving Alex the opportunity to build his self-esteem and have his voice heard.

With his newfound confidence, Alex embraced the final phase of NCS, which involved planning and delivering a project with his new friends on NCS that would make a positive impact in the community. The group volunteered their time at a local food bank in Wandsworth, as well as rejuvenating a local community centre.

Thanks to NCS, Alex has developed a new sense of purpose and now has the confidence to take his next steps.He says:

“I have used the skills learned from my NCS journey to apply for jobs and university places, with the help of my tutors in Year 13. Being a part of NCS has been a big part of my own personal development, which is something that future employers and peers can recognise.

“NCS has made me better at working within a team, having the confidence to achieve my goals and stepping out my comfort zone, while also helping me to meet new friends along my journey.”

LIVERPOOL FC FOUNDATION

LFC Foundation have been working closely with Redbridge High School to help deliver an NCS programme that will engage the aspirations of their students.

Eight young people from the school – which supports young people with additional needs – spent the autumn season raft building, learning new skills and spreading kindness as part of their social action.

Following an adrenaline filled first week of outdoor activities, the group set to work on their social action project with a determination to spread positivity.

The group launched a kindness campaign within their school and community, creating a canvas mural and t-shirts for students and hosting a peer mentoring session, where they made a collaborative art piece to communicate what kindness is, while they also asked their fellow students to spread kindness to teachers by writing thank you cards.

The hard work didn’t stop there, as outside of school, they collected donations for White Chapel Centre – a local homeless charity – and made and sold cakes to raise money. In total, the group spent over 240 hours spreading kindness.

Ethan was a member of the group and through the activities on NCS, his teachers believed he increased his confidence and resilience. He enjoyed the chance to take part in a high ropes course and a canoeing session, while his highlight was the cookery session, where Ethan was able to serve some delicious food.

Jessica Carr, Volunteer and Community Hubs Coordinator at LFC Foundation says:

“Our autumn 2021 programme gave the students from Redbridge High School an opportunity to learn about their community and encouraged the students to challenge themselves while working as part of a team.

“The LFC Foundation NCS delivery team was privileged to work alongside the students, encouraging them to express themselves while learning new skills and developing their confidence.”

CFC Foundation and LFC Foundatin are both part of EFL Trust’s network of 64 Delivery Partners that im to engae over 11,000 young people this summer. To find out more information about NCS visit wearencs.com.