Cameron launches youth national citizen service

22 Jul 2010 News

The government will start voluntary national citizen service for 16 year olds next summer.

Volunteers

The government will start voluntary national citizen service for 16 year olds next summer.

Government-backed pilots for the scheme will take place from June to September 2011 and provide around 10,000 places.

Plans to introduce a national youth volunteering scheme gathered pace last year when then prime minister Gordon Brown to ensure every teenager would complete 50 hours of community work by the age of 19 if Labour won the election.

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats followed with plans of youth volunteering in their election manifestos this year.

The government will work with organisations working in the  youth sector on the national citizen service pilots, successful candidates will be announced by the end of October.

Commenting on the launch of today’s scheme, David Cameron said it will "mix young people from different backgrounds in a way that doesn’t happen now."

Activities are expected to include an outdoor challenge, a set of structured tasks involving visiting and helping the local community and developing skills. A social action task will also be developed in consultation with local communities.