Published: 13th November 2018
Huddersfield NCS Graduate and HGCT Education first-year student Ben Roberts has successfully represented the region at NCS’ National Graduate Training Programme, ‘KICKSTART’. Currently studying towards his BTEC Level Extended Diploma in Performance and Excellence, Ben is also an aspiring professional rugby player.
The KICKSTART programme is an extension to the NCS programme, designed to prep NCS graduates that are going to be representing their Regional Youth Board (RYB) in the year ahead. The week-long event took place in Milton Keynes and involved a series of sessions designed to help the young people get to know each other and hear about the varied NCS experiences they have had so far. The event also included an appearance from popular actor Will Poulter.
Ben commented, “My long-term goal with NCS is to become a leader in either the summer programme or the Regional Youth Board programme. I hope to progress on to the National Youth Board and make a bigger difference worldwide and help people understand the struggles some people are facing on a daily basis.”
NCS Graduate manager Ben Quinn commented, “Ben has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to participate in the KICKSTART programme, only a select few get this privilege in our region. Ben was a fantastic individual on the NCS programme through the summer and a well-mannered, polite young man who I look forward to working with on the graduates’ programme. Together, amongst others we strive to make the Huddersfield NCS graduates programme the best it can be, taking into account the ideas of a previous young person in Ben.”
NCS Manager Katy Stockdale commented, “It was such an exciting day when we received the details of Ben being selected for the National KICKSTART programme, graduates have to independently apply for this scheme and applications are cross-examined nationally. It is great to hear how impactful the programme was for Ben, and how inspired he is to take his NCS journey further by representing Huddersfield. He will now have further opportunities to make a change, generate ideas and will hopefully be part of empowering the NCS programme nationally. A huge well done and I am excited to see what Ben achieves over the next 12 months”.
If you are interested in taking part in the NCS summer programme, the NCS team will be visiting local schools in the upcoming months. In the meantime, you can sign up online by clicking here, or call 01484 442242 for more information.
