Member Article

Teenagers reunite to raise donations for the homeless

Regional graduates of the youth empowerment programme National Citizen Service (NCS) reunited over the weekend to plan future volunteering ambitions and reminisce about their time on the government-backed scheme.

The event also helped raise festive donations that the teenagers have donated to local young people affected by homelessness via the charity Centrepoint.

Over one hundred NCS graduates came together at the event, organised by the North East NCS Youth Board, in Newcastle to hear about ways they could access and fund future volunteering opportunities as well as reconnecting with friends. Local bands Post Rome and Waiting out the Wind performed while teenagers took part in a series of inflatable challenges.

16 year olds Alex Sagar, Charlotte Haswell and Yve Edmunds met while taking part in NCS during the summer. The trio attended different schools, so met for the first time through the programme and are now inseparable friends.

Alex, from South Gosforth, said: “We took on activities like gorge walking in the Lake District which were really out of our comfort zones but brought us closer together as a team.“

“The best part of NCS was meeting new friends like Alex and Charlotte“ added Yve, from Whitley Bay.

Bonding through adventure, teamwork and the completion of a community project, the mates are planning to continue volunteering.

Charlotte, from Cowgate, added: “We want to continue the legacy of our NCS projects and help even more local charities.“

Friends Sophie Thomson, 17 from Morpeth, and Steph Gallet, 18 from Alnwick, also met through NCS.

Sophie said: “NCS was so good! You meet loads of different people you wouldn’t normally meet and I feel like the door has been opened for extra opportunities.“

Steph added: “The live music today has been great and it’s been fantastic to catch up with friends from NCS.“

NCS North East’s graduate coordinator Aelred Robinson said: “The reunion event has been a great success.

“NCS graduates are so passionate. Many have developed the desire to continue social action projects and the idea of the reunion event was to give them access to extra opportunities to do this. The event has also been the perfect occasion for friends to reunite and celebrate everything they’ve achieved through NCS.“

In exchange for entrance into the event NCS graduates donated an item for young people affected by homelessness in the region. Hundreds of items including toiletries, food items and winter clothing were collected for the youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, along with festive stocking fillers and selection boxes.

NCS graduate and youth board member Hannah Munslow, 17, said: “We were able to collect hundreds of items for Centrepoint that will hopefully improve the Christmases of local young people who have been affected by homelessness.“

Amy Gormanley, Senior Fundraising Officer at Centrepoint, said: “It is fantastic that young people can get together through NCS to support homeless young people. Christmas is a particularly difficult time for the young people that we support so donations like these are really appreciated.“

Open to all 16 and 17 year olds in the North East, NCS involves teenagers spending time away from home during the holidays enjoying adventure, fun and freedom before returning and developing important confidence, leadership and communication skills.

They then work with their team to design and deliver a rewarding community project that makes a real difference to the local area.

Bookings are now open for the unmissable summer 2017 NCS experience. Parents or teenagers are urged to call 0191 247 4020 or visit NCSNORTHEAST.co.uk to secure a place on the programme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by NCS North East .