This Sunday, Coventry City will celebrate the impact that young people from Coventry have had on NCS, a youth programme aimed at 16-17 year olds.
The awareness raising campaign, #NCSMatchday, is organised by Sky Blues in the Community who deliver NCS in Coventry.
On Sunday a handful of lucky Sky Blues fans - who have all spent the last couple of months meeting new people, learning new skills and giving back to their community through the NCS programme - will be attending the game as special guests of the Club to raise awareness of NCS and to meet our first team players.
We have also invited young people who will be attending NCS with us this summer to celebrate the success of the NCS programme and to meet other young people who can share their experiences.
In 2019, young people from EFL Trust’s network delivered over 650 Social Action Projects, volunteered over 260,000 hours of social action and raised over £230,000 for local charities and causes.
The event, supported by Coventry City FC and Sky Blues in the Community is part of a wider EFL Trust (Charitable Arm of EFL) campaign that will see #NCSMatchday reach over 36 EFL and Premier League clubs across the country, highlighting the positive work that young people have done in their local community.
In 2019, #NCSMatchday reached over 2 million people, with over 450 football players across the country celebrating NCS and the young people who have given back to the local community.
Football fan and NCS grad Zach Palmer from Coventry, said: “NCS has opened so many doors for me, the friends I’ve made from different backgrounds has made me realise how diverse our community is, whilst the challenges we faced built this huge amount of confidence I now have.
“A personal highlight for me was our social action project which saw us create a campaign called ‘Knife Aid 99’ which aimed to educate teenagers about the steps that they should take if they find someone who has been stabbed or seriously injured. It was such a rewarding experience.
“I hope #NCSMatchday inspires others to sign up and experience NCS, as well as be actively involved in their local community. I wouldn’t want them to miss out on this amazing opportunity.”
Coventry City’s Captain and Midfielder, Liam Kelly, who is a big supporter of the programme, said: “I’m honoured to be chosen as Education Ambassador for Sky Blues in the Community and really look forward to celebrating all the great work local teens have done in the community while taking part. NCS is a fantastic programme that gives young people the chance to expand their horizons by getting involved in new activities and challenges, whilst also making great friends and benefiting our local area.”
NCS is a flagship government initiative that provides young people aged 16-17 the chance to take on new challenges, experience exciting activities, make long-lasting friendships and develop vital skills that will support them later in life.
Supporting young people’s transition to adulthood, the programme develops their strength of character, giving a sense of purpose, optimism and belonging.
Almost 600,000 young people have completed the NCS programme to date, giving up an incredible 14.5 million hours to social action projects since NCS started.
To find out more and sign up, contact our Education Manager on 02476 786314 or via e-mail on chloe.groves@ccfc.co.uk