WIREDGOV

The Government has opened the application process for organisations that want to help run the second set of National Citizen Service pilots in summer 2012.

National Citizen Service is a flagship policy at the heart of the coalition Government’s vision for building a Big Society. It will bring together 16 year olds from different backgrounds in a summer programme of challenge, service and learning, enabling them to develop the confidence, skills and attitudes they need to become more engaged with their communities and to become active and responsible citizens.

The first pilots of the 7-8 week programme will be held this summer with eleven thousand 16 year olds. The 2012 pilot scheme will offer 30,000 places and will inform decisions on national roll out.

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, said:

National Citizen Service offers huge opportunities for organisations that want to help young people to get more engaged with their communities. We want to give every 16 year old the chance to benefit from a seven to eight week programme of challenge and social action. The scale of our ambition has not been seen before and we need organisations that can rise to this challenge and help make National Citizen Service the rewarding experience that our young people deserve.

National Citizen Service will promote:

• a more cohesive society by mixing participants from different backgrounds;
• a more responsible society by supporting the transition into adulthood for young people; and
• a more engaged society by enabling young people to work together to create social action projects in their local communities, inspiring them towards a lifetime of ongoing engagement and action.

Bids are invited from organisations or groups of organisations that are able to deliver the full National Citizen Service programme set out in the specification document.  Bid documents and further information about the bidding process can be found on the Department for Education website.

The 12 National Citizen Service pilots for 2011 are run by:

• Bolton Lads and Girls Club – providing 270 places in Bolton.
• Catch 22 – leading a national consortium providing 1515 places.
• Connexions Cumbria Ltd – providing 492 places across Cumbria.
• Field Studies Council – working with Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) and Action for Blind People providing 540 places in Bradford, Hull, North East Lincolnshire, Tower Hamlets and Manchester.
• Football League (Community) Ltd – working with the club trusts of: AFC Bournemouth; Barnsley; Charlton Athletic; Leyton Orient; Milton Keynes Dons; Plymouth Argyle; Rotherham United; Sheffield Wednesday; and other local and national providers, providing 800 places in those areas.
• Lincolnshire and Rutland Education Business Partnership – providing 120 places in Lincolnshire.
• Norwich City Community Sports Foundation (formerly known as Football in the Community) – working with a range of local partners in the Norfolk NCS Consortium to deliver 490 places across Norfolk.
• Safe in Tees Valley – working with a range of local partners to provide 1000 places in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees.
• The Challenge Network – providing 3240 places in London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.
• The Prince’s Trust – working with local partners to provide 885 places in a range of locations.
• V – The National Young Volunteers’ Service – working with The Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and local partners to deliver 1065 places in a range of locations.
• Young Devon and South West Consortium – providing 900 places across the South West.