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Young people across South Tyneside will be able to benefit from a range of community experiences to help prepare them for adulthood and the world of work, education or training.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ has secured £60,000 from the National Citizen Service (NCS) to provide opportunities for teenagers to engage in local activities that foster skills development, deepen their understanding of the community, and empower them to contribute positively to its improvement. These new experiences will complement NCS's existing away from home residential offer.

The opportunities, which are being delivered by the Council's Youth Service Outdoor Education team and Connexions are aimed at 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training and those who are home schooled.

The funding is part of a £20million funding package to support organisations that cater for specific groups of young people who may not have participated in previous NCS initiatives.

In collaboration with the National Youth Agency and StreetGames, NCS assessed more than 400 applications and Â鶹ÊÓƵ was selected as one of around 100 organisations to receive funding.

Councillor Jane Carter, Lead Member for Education and Skills, said: "We want all our residents to be connected to jobs, skills and learning so I'm delighted that we have been successful in securing funds to help us do just that for our young people.

"We know that people who take part in the National Citizen Scheme enjoy positive experiences and learn life skills which prepare them for the world of work so being able to deliver them here in our own communities will enable us to reach out to those most in need."

She added: "We know that since the Covid pandemic, some young people have experienced high levels of anxiety and social and emotional difficulties resulting in challenges attending school and families opting for home education.  These young people face isolation and generally don't achieve as well as their peers educationally, socially and emotionally. This programme is, therefore, incredibly important for this group in equipping them with the right skills to help them become connected and motivated individuals, ready to contribute positively to society."

A range of activities will be offered, based on the support needs and aspirations but could include creative activities, budgeting and cooking. This approach will help build confidence in practical life skills, broaden young people's horizons and encourage greater civic pride."

Mark Gifford, CEO of NCS Trust, added: "I am delighted to welcome a diverse range of local, grassroots and community organisations from across the youth sector to deliver reimagined NCS experiences. This allows us to reach more young people than ever before, ensuring they are equipped with the skills and perspective to become work ready and world ready. Additionally, our grants for targeted experiences will enable us to reach underserved young people and communities.

 "Together, we will work towards creating a country of confident, connected, caring citizens where everyone feels at home."

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.

To find out more about the opportunities on offer, email youthconnect@southtyneside.gov.uk