Headliners (UK) delivers the National Citizen Service (NCS) in the North East of England which is designed specially for 15-17 year olds.

The NCS (National Citizens Service) is a funded, national government programme that works with 15–17 year olds and aims to engage, unite and empower young people, build their confidence, no matter where they’re from or what their background is. From the life skills they develop to the friends they make, the ambition is clear – to give teenagers an opportunity to unleash their potential, to build their self-belief and get them prepped for life after school.

NCS delivery is managed and supported by NCS Trust, a central team who ensure that partners deliver the most impactful experience they can to as many young people as possible. This is achieved by making sure everything NCS does adheres to the their vision, mission and ambition.

Vision: A country of connected, confident and caring citizens where everyone feels at home

Mission: To inspire generations of citizens through a shared experience that develops character and bridges social divides

Ambition: For NCS to become a normal part of growing up for all young citizens in the UK that impacts their lives beyond the programme

The key aims of NCS are to promote:

  • A cohesive society by bringing together young people from different backgrounds.
  • A responsible and mobile society by supporting the transition into adulthood and development of life skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication.
  • An engaged society by enabling young people to understand and deliver social action in their communities and enhancing their involvement in the democratic process.

Headliners (UK) is a delivery partner on the NCS programme, delivering within the borough of South Tyneside and have been delivering this programme successfully, for 8 years. 

In 2019, we were working with nearly 400 young people to inspire their personal development through a series of challenging activities and support them to design and deliver their own social action projects in their communities and embed an ethos of volunteering and good citizenship into their lives forever. In 2020 and 2021 we successfully delivered COVID secure programmes to ensure young people still had a unique NCS experience.


NCS Programmes

For each NCS programme the young people complete four phases which include completing over thirty hours of social action as a way of giving back to their local communities.

The summer and autumn programmes include:

Be Epic: You know that buzz you feel when you nail something you thought was near to impossible? When you feel epic? Imagine that, but for every day you’re with us. Throw that in with meeting a new crowd (who might end up as mates for life!), taking on challenges together...and still having some time to recharge and chill.

Live Life: It gets better. You’ll also pick up skills designed to help you move into adulthood and live life to the fullest. Want to know how to budget for a food shop? Answer questions with confidence? Present to a room full of people, without freezing up? Leave it to us.

Do Good: But wait, there’s more! You’ll take all that you’ve learned and work together to turn your passions into action. Want to see a positive change in your community and get your voice heard on an issue you care about? Pave the way. You’ll have the tools and team to make a lasting impact.

Go Party: You’re going to achieve so much more than you could ever imagine on NCS. And we won’t leave you empty handed. On top of all the pals, lots of laughs and skills, you’ll get a certificate to remind you of all the wins and then go party with your team! You’ve got to go out with a bang, right?


Changemakers: There is also a year-round Changemakers programme. If you’re looking for a way to do good in your community, joining Changemakers is for you. You’ll be part of a local group designing and delivering social action projects for your community, on subjects that matter to you. This year, Changemakers will focus on the environment, so you could be designing a strategy to tackle the climate crisis, educating people on how to champion sustainability or creating partnerships for positive change, but don’t worry if there’s something else you feel passionate about and want to sink your teeth into, you can do that too!


Skills BoosterHeadliners (UK) is a delivery partner for the NCS Skills Booster programmes to schools and colleges in South Tyneside in partnership with our Recruitment Partner APM. These sessions are delivered by our staff and focus on the following themes:

  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Preparing to return to education/Skills for Success
  • Career and Progression Guidance
  • Employability
  • Skills for Independent Living
  • Citizenship and British Values
  • Volunteering and Social Action