Dear candidate,
Thank you for your interest in joining NCS Trust as our next Chief Executive Officer.
Since our inception, NCS has provided over 1,000,000 experiences for young people, and more than 18 million hours of volunteering and social action have been completed. In 2023/24 alone, NCS delivered more than 170,000 experiences, the highest number ever.
NCS also gives back more than it takes – for every £ spent, independent assessment shows at the very least there is over three times more return on economic benefit. Our continued success rests on our ability to evolve to meet the needs of young people. In recent years we have transformed our offer to ensure young people can engage with NCS in a variety of ways – through trips away from home, programmes that take place in their community, and online activities. And as the government’s only dedicated arms-length body for youth, NCS not only delivers transformative programmes, but also provides crucial infrastructure that supports the wider youth sector – convening hundreds of local organisations across our network to share best practice and improve collective impact.
With our clear record of action, we stand ready to support a mission-based government:
- Our programmes equip young people with the skills they need to become full, active participants in the economy – with over 80% of participants saying NCS gives them the chance to develop skills for the future.
- NCS is breaking down barriers to opportunity, through reaching a higher-than-average proportion of young people on Free School Meals or with Special Educational Needs.
- NCS participants consistently report improvement in their wellbeing – and our work piloting the ‘social prescribing’ of NCS is taking a preventive approach to the mental health crisis and has the potential to ease pressure on the NHS.
- Our ‘UK Year of Service’ employability programme for 18-24 year olds is creating supported roles in social impact organisations, including organisations at the forefront of the green economy.
- With more than 70% of young people saying that NCS builds their respect for diversity, we are playing a crucial role in building bridges across communities and tackling some of the root causes of social division and rising crime.
NCS recognises that high quality enrichment and non-formal learning experiences are an essential component of a broad and balanced education for young people – we support the Government by sharing best practice, understanding of impact and what works, and by leveraging our cross-sector convening power. NCS Trust and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recently published a landmark report, Education & Enrichment, that provides a blueprint for how formal education and youth sector organisations can partner, collaborate and coordinate to improve young people’s access to enrichment activities beyond the classroom.
We are looking for a visionary who can continue building a strong NCS Trust and one that includes and engages alumni fostering long-term commitment. Operationally strong with robust governance, we are looking for a leader who is more externally focused, being an advocate for young people in national conversations and who can ensure NCS is at the heart of national strategy for young people.
This is an exceptional time to join us as we continue our evolution guided by our strategy, expanding our impact and creating transformative opportunities for young people. Young people are at the heart of everything we do and their voices help to shape our programs and initiatives. We are therefore seeking an exceptional leader who is passionate about empowering young people and can drive our vision of ‘a country of connected, confident and caring citizens where everyone feels at home’ forward.
As a final word, here’s a message from Rachael Oloyede our Co-Chair of the NCS Trust Youth Voice Forum & Adviser to the Royal Charter body Board:
‘Youth Voice at NCS is more than just listening, it also factors in actioning, learning and adapting. The presence of young people throughout all levels of NCS is testament to our dedication to making genuine change. There are numerous challenges young people face today and with the trust’s programmes directed at a section of youth who cannot vote, we are able to equip them with the power they need to be the change they want to see. This journey to change is collaborative and built upon meaningful connections and new found communities between young people. The support given by the trust enables us to support each other as we learn, develop and become people who thrive and truly feel at home.’
If you think this role sounds like you, we would be really excited to hear from you.
With best wishes,
Harris Bokhari
Chair – NCS Trust