All Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Affairs

Report by Anna Smith

Anna Smith (CEYC), Hannah Page (CEYC), Leah Wagstaff (CEYC) and Peter Ball (National Youth Officer) attended the All Party parliamentary group (APPG) on Youth affairs to discuss the National citizens service (NCS). NCS is a scheme, currently being piloted, which is eventually intended to be a two month programme in which all 16 year-olds will participate during the summer after completion of their GCSEs.

Young people were represented not only by CEYC but also by various youth organizations and groups including the British Youth Council, Connexions, Duke of Edinburgh, Scouts etc and some of the groups from the pilots of the NCS.  Ministers present included Tim Loughton (Children’s Minister) and Toby Perkins (Shadow Education Minister). We spent the first hour in groups discussing the National Citizen Service and coming up with a series of questions to put to the ministers present.

Questioning started slowly, however as the session developed people found their voice.  Tim was heavily criticised in some areas, but this may have been avoided had the literature been clearer. Arguments were given for and against the idea of National Citizen Service and I certainly had my view shifted slightly by hearing Tim Loughton explain further what the scheme would involve.

At the end of the session as a group we had a chance to ask further questions which will be forwarded onto Tim Loughton and Toby Perkins to answer. We look forward to hearing their responses.

Overall it was a very positive experience and was a fantastic opportunity to meet with other young people and ministers to discuss and debate together.