NCS: London Teens have Experience of a Lifetime

12 teenagers from London who took part in NCS (National Citizen Service) with Chelsea FC Foundation had a week to remember, meeting a legend, appearing on TV and delivering mental health workshops to over 300 children.

After taking on new challenges and learning new skills whilst on NCS with Chelsea Foundation, the group delivered two mental health and unhealthy lifestyle workshops to over 300 Year 10 and 11s.  The group then enjoyed their NCS Graduation at the FA Cup live draw in Stamford Bridge, and met Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola.

Recognising the pressure that is on young people of their age, the group partnered with a psychology teacher to deliver a mental health workshop on stress to children at Fulham College Academy Trust and Thomas Bennet Community College.

The workshop was a space for student to openly talk about stress and mental health whilst making their own stress ball and origami.

Sirra Bojang, who delivered the mental health workshop said: “I think we were all overwhelmed by the interest from our year 10 and 11 students, it was amazing!

“Everyone enjoyed making the stress balls and I think creating a safe space to talk about mental health just made us all feel really comfortable and supported, it was so rewarding and I can’t wait to do it again”

The other half of the group addressed the importance of teenagers living a healthy lifestyle. Connor Davis who took part in NCS with Chelsea Foundation: “We realised that we can really make a difference to our peers in the years below by sharing our knowledge about healthy lifestyles and providing them with ideas and different food options to improve their health and fitness”

NCS is a government backed programme that has had almost 500,000 young people take part,  delivering 12 million hours of social action that has impacted communities across the country.

The programme brings together young people from different backgrounds for a unique shared experience and helps them to become better individuals, and in turn better citizens.

Chelsea Foundation are one of seventeen other Football Community Trusts from EFL and Premier League to partner with EFL Trust this Autumn to deliver NCS to over 400 teenagers.

To find out more about NCS, visit: https://www.efltrust.com/ncs/