Anybody's kids doing NCS?

[Crackle]

If I recall, Call Me Dave set this up in the absence of being able to re-introduce national service and I remember being a bit sceptical about it. But I'm about to send off son no2 who virtually organised his own going and presented it as a fait accompli. I just signed the form and sent off 50 squid.

For 50 quid they get a week in an adventure centre, a week in student digs learning to cook and various other skills and then do two weeks work in the community. Pretty good deal I thought, in fact stunning. I'm not sure if it's meeting Dave's original objectives but it's certainly meeting my sons.

Here's an original hand wringing report such as the Guardian is good at.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/aug/30/national-citizen-service-prevent-rioting

Son2 is only planning to riot if it's a bit shoot.

 

[raleighnut]

Good luck to him and I hope he enjoys the experience.

 

[Crackle]

Good luck to him and I hope he enjoys the experience.

I'm sure he will.

There doesn't seem to be so many kids doing it and judging by the response on here that seems to be the case. Son2 said there were more girls on it than boys.

 

[swee'pea99]

My daughter did it, and says 'it depends on the kid'. She quite enjoyed it, and overall certainly doesn't regret having done it, but she was a bit taken aback by the immaturity and - to be blunt - ignorance of many of her co-trainees. She ended up teaching some of them how to make a cup of tea, or peel potatoes, because many had no life skills whatsoever. But yes, overall, worth doing. And as you say, cheap as chips.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Sounds like your son has his head screwed on. More girls than boys............

 

[raleighnut]

I'm sure he will.

There doesn't seem to be so many kids doing it and judging by the response on here that seems to be the case. Son2 said there were more girls on it than boys.

Well that's a good reason to do it but seriously it's a good opportunity to get away from home, have a good time at the activity centre and learn more about life/living.
I can see why lots of kids don't want to do it though (laziness/apathy) but at 16 I would have jumped at the chance.

 

[Piemaster]

My daughter is doing it, away residential, a local residential part and some voluntary work. Something she told us she was going to do pretty much as per Crackles post. Couple of her friends going too.

She doesn't suffer immature males gladly and is progressing quite nicely up the Taekwondo belt rankings. Boys, you have been warned.

 

[byegad]

Sounds like your son has his head screwed on. More girls than boys............

Clever lad that!

 

[jack smith]

Having just been back to college for the past 2 year i was offered this and a couple went, however i did not go personally. The week away is well worth the £50 personally i would pay alot more than that to go away for a week doing those sorts of things. however they hated the weeks following and most dropped out a few days after the residential, but aslong as your son likes adventerous activities he will love the first week, the ones i know about spent a week at pgl dalguise in scotland, ive been there before and it is great.

 

[Crackle]

He's gone to Colomendy following in my footsteps. When I said I'd been, he said, what's it like? So I described it: He said, that doesn't sound so good. I said, well yeah, it was 42 years ago I was there.

 

[Sandra6]

My eldest daughter did it, when it was free, although it did set me back a few quid in buying joggers and the like to send her off in.
She enjoyed it, but the week in digs was a waste of time and she built a hen house for the community part. Or she stood around while others built!
They were then thrown an expensive award ceremony which was all a bit self congratulatory

 

[surfdude]

i work for a charity and we are running nsc for 120 kids over two weeks . most of the kids love it and go away with lots of happy memories . i start work tomorrow running the voluntary part of it with 60 kids working on the site . it good fun and we even have the odd laugh . well worth getting your kids to do it .
i work for BF ADVENTURE .

 

[Piemaster]

Just asked daughter where she is going. Wilderthorpe Manor. Wish I was going too

 

[marshmella]

Yes my daughter did it two years ago and spent a weeks adventure in West Yorkshire followed by a week in university halls here in the West Midlands. She then did a week helping with projects in the community, it took most of the summer holidays as i remember but well worth the 35 quid .

 

[DRM]

Seems to me that this scheme has been available for over a hundred years from age six onwards now, it's called the Scout association.