Where will I be going? Expand Full details of where your specific team will be going will be provided in your itinerary nearer the time. As a general overview: Be Epic (phase 1): We will be taking everyone to a local activity centre for 2 days of land and water based activities where you will be participating in team building and fun activities including our Epic Challenge! Live Life (phase 2): We will be staying in university accommodation where you will be able to take part in independent living workshops with our trained staff and meet special guest speakers from local organisations and charities. Do Good (phase 3 / phases 3&4): During your final phase of NCS you’ll be closer to your local area and during your planning days we’ll organise some working space for you and your team leaders. This will be shared on your itinerary which we’ll get out to you closer to the time of your start date. You’re also off residential and back in your own bed now. Whilst we can’t guarantee that the social action project will be delivered in your home town (due to the required mix of people in your team), you will discuss and decide on the best option of where to meet and plan or deliver your project each day, with guidance from your team leaders during your project planning phase.
How do I get there? Expand Be Epic (phase 1) & Live Life (phase 2): Transport to and from the accommodation venues from your local ‘drop off point’ is covered by NCS on these phases and we’ll let you know exactly what time and where your pickup point will be in plenty of time prior to programme start. We’ll do our best to ensure this isn’t too far away from your home address. Do Good (phase 3): During this phase of NCS it’s up to you to organise how you’ll get to your prearranged meet-up point for planning the project and where you and your team have decided to deliver your Social Action Project. We suggest lift sharing and use of public transport where possible but, again, this should be discussed and organised with your team leader at the end of each day.
What do I bring with me? Expand All phases: We’ll send you out an NCS Kit List (for all phases of NCS) in plenty of time prior to your programme start date, along with full details of where you will be going, the activities planned and sleeping arrangements for week one of your two week programme.
What activities will I be getting up to? Expand Be Epic (phase 1): We make sure there is a good mix of water based and land based activities for everyone to enjoy. Live Life (phase 2): At South West Lakes Trust we look to provide a week full of exciting activities for you to enjoy and benefit from and, whilst timetables may differ between teams, the sort of sessions/workshops you can expect are: Enterprise challenge, Community Mapping, Food for Thought, how to deliver a worthwhile community project, introducing healthier ways to live… among many, many more!
Sounds amazing but tiring, do I get the chance to chill out? Expand Of course! We understand that it’s your summer holiday and that you’ll want the chance to chill out either on your own or with your new found mates on NCS. There are plenty of opportunities to relax, take in the views, read a book, sit round the campfire or whatever makes you feel ‘zen’. We’ll also be organising night-time activities for all the teams onsite to get involved in but, as with everything on NCS, it’s your choice to take part or not.
Will I ever be forced to do an activity? Expand Definitely not, the experience is all centred around making sure you’re having an amazing time so all we ask is that you’re up for giving new things a go, but if there’s anything that doesn’t ‘float your boat’ you can step out of any activity you wish to.
Who looks after me? Expand Each team of 16 young people will be supported and supervised by 2 fully trained Team leaders throughout their experience. They’ll help you out throughout your NCS journey on every phase and they’ll make sure you’re having a laugh and that you’re safe.
What is a ‘Social Action Project’? Expand A Social Action Project could be anything that really helps out the area in which you deliver that project, it could impact your county or you could aim really high and put a project together which benefits the whole country! There are many different types and sizes of Social Action Project that take place on NCS every season across the nation, these range from helping a local community or sports club centre by fundraising for materials and giving it a lick of paint as well as maintaining its outdoors garden area or it could be putting together a social media campaign and a professional looking YouTube video to raise awareness for a cause that’s close to you and your team’s heart (and everything in-between.)..It really is up to you! The important thing is that it’s something that you and your team are passionate about because this is when Social Action Projects really take off and become successful!!
What happens when we’re finished then? Expand There are 2 extra phases of NCS. The first of which we like everyone to get involved in as it’s a great chance to meet back up with the team, celebrate your successes and see what all the other teams across the South West have been up to. If you want to “Do More” you can get involved in our Changemakers sessions which run all year round and enable you to extend your social action or get involved in existing social action in your local community.