Organisations have been invited to apply for the second round of the government’s National Citizen Service pilots starting next year for 30,000 young people.

The new pilots, which will start in summer 2012, will bring 16-year-olds from different backgrounds on seven-to-eight week projects to improve skills, confidence and engage with the community. Around 30,000 places are available, compared with 11,000 places for this year’s pilots.

This year’s first pilot schemes will run this summer offering 11,000 places throughout the country, with the government hoping to roll the programme out nationally in 2013.

Nick Hurd, minister for civil society, said: “National Citizen Service offers huge opportunities for organisations that want to help young people to get more engaged with their communities.”

National Citizen Service is at the heart of the government’s ‘Big Society’ programme. There are 12 organisations involved in this year’s pilot scheme including, Catch 22, The Prince’s Trust and V – The National Young Volunteers’ Service. 

Bid documents and further information about the bidding process can be found on the Department for Education website.