Caroline Ansell MP for Eastbourne & Willington recently met with young people taking part in a week of life skills training with NCS (National Citizen Service) at Twin English Centre in Eastbourne.
Ms Ansell attended a programme that involved young people taking part in an interactive escape room activity aimed at developing their communication and teamwork skills. The teens worked together in small groups to solve fun puzzles and challenges designed to encourage constructive collaboration. This followed a series of adrenaline-fuelled activities earlier in the week from high ropes to bushcraft which helped strengthen the confidence and problem solving abilities of the teens involved.
These pursuits were part of an action-packed 5 day residential ‘Live It’ experience, one of many NCS experiences available to 16 and 17 year olds, and those between 18 and 24 with special educational needs and disabilities, across the country. In Eastbourne, NCS participants are based in the inspiring setting of Compton Place, an 17th-century mansion, once home to Dukes and Duchesses.
The Eastbourne & Willingdon MP, a former teacher, enjoyed an informal discussion with the young people, asking them about their NCS experiences which included learning about managing personal finances, public speaking and cooking. Ms Ansell also answered a range of questions about her work as an MP, giving the teens valuable insights into political life on a local and national scale and offering guidance on how they could make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
Reflecting on her visit, Caroline Ansell MP said: "It was wonderful to drop into the beautiful 17th-century Compton Place to meet the students taking part in this summer's NCS programme. Aimed at ages 16-17, each programme takes 120 students on a weeklong residential here in Eastbourne and aims to teach students leadership, resilience and life skills and to better prepare them for work or higher education.
“I took a range of questions on Eastbourne and my work in Parliament and it was fantastic to see how engaged the students were in the course. To have a scheme like this open to all young people at a hugely subsidised cost is a great resource for parents and, most importantly, for our young people."
Joe Hill, Head of Strategy and Insight at NCS Trust, who also attended the programme, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Caroline Ansell to our NCS away-from-home experience. Caroline spoke to lots of the young people about
what they’d learned over the week, and the skills that they’d developed. One highlight in particular was when a young person asked an excellent question about how she advocates in parliament for smaller areas like Eastbourne; she then encouraged him to look at internships in parliament. That’s what NCS is all about!”
NCS away from home experiences are available to 16 and 17 year olds throughout the year along with opportunities for young people of that age group to engage in social action projects in their local community and online learning. To find out more and sign-up visit wearencs.com.
Over the past decade, more than 800,000 young people have benefitted from an NCS experience, dedicating over 18 million hours to community based social action, while gaining invaluable life experiences.
