Engaging Teens and Helping Shape their Future with the National Citizen Service

My daughter Kezia is going to be sixteen years old this year. My youngest daughter is all grown up. Life is a whirlwind of homework, friends, concerts, YouTube, make-up tutorials, playing music on vinyl, vegan snacks, Snapchat and shopping trips. 

She is fast approaching the time when she has some big decisions to make with regards to her future post-16 options - whether she chooses to do A'Levels at college with a view to going on to university, or if she opts for a more vocational course and an apprenticeship. Whatever she chooses to do, I'll be there to support her and encourage her every step of the way, hoping that I've helped her develop the tools needed to thrive in the big wide world.

There is one decision that I hope she decides upon that will help her to shape her future and grow as an individual at this important time in her life. The National Citizenship Service is a once in a lifetime opportunity for 16 - 17 year olds to take part in a 3 - 4 week experience that helps build confidence and self belief, giving teens a taste of living away from home, developing important skills and meeting new people. This would be a great opportunity for Kezia to do something challenging while embarking on a journey of self discovery that could really help her to grow as a person. As well as the fun and adventure involved in taking part, participation in NCS will also look good on a UCAS personal statement or CV.

NCS is a government backed programme established in 2011 open to 16 and 17 year-olds across England and Northern Ireland, to help create a more cohesive and engaged society and helping to tackle some of our country's biggest social challenges. The two to four week programme takes place in the school summer holidays, and includes outdoor team-building exercises, a residential for learning essential life skills, a community-based social action project and an end of programme celebration event.

By bringing together young people from different backgrounds for a unique shared experience, NCS helps them to become better individuals, and in turn better citizens. These Generation Z teenagers have the power to change the world for the better. They are tomorrow's adults; our future leaders and influencers and could prove to be an unstoppable force!

The NCS programme puts young people through a series of challenging activities to take them out of their comfort zone and develop their strength of character and leadership skills. They are given the chance to really connect with their communities through social action, organising events or raising money for local charities. This year more than 100, 000 16 - 17 year olds will be taking part in the scheme. The benefits of the NCS is great, not just to the teenagers who take part, but to their communities and to society as a whole. Investing in our young people is an investment in our country's future. For every £1 spent, the NCS summer programme in 2016 delivered up to £2.42 of benefits back to society.

This opportunity is a chance for teens to do something really worthwhile over the long summer holidays. As a parent, I think this is definitely worth pitching to my teenager as it will be way more rewarding to her than lazing in bed until midday throughout the whole of August! I hope she'll say yes to NCS.

NCS is amazing value for money. The whole experience including food, accommodation and travel costs just £50, which is an incredible bargain when you think of what your child can gain from taking part.  (Bursaries are available on a case by case basis and support is also provided for young people with additional needs.) Even if you have commitments over the summer, you can register for further details and NCS will try to find a spot for all interested teens at a time that suits.

There are still places available for Year 11s to take part in this once in a lifetime opportunity this summer. To sign up now, go to the NCS website using this link: www.ncsyes.co.uk.

Reasons to be Cheerful

Today, the news has been telling us that GCSE results are down for the first time ever.  English exams have been marked really harshly with the grade A boundary being raised by 10%.  Thankfully, neither of these statistics have been relevant to my daughter!  Ella has done amazingly well and got six A*s, two As and two Bs.  Her A*s are in both English Literature and Language, Maths, German, Geography and Chemistry.   Her results are even more remarkable because of the problems that she has endured this last year.  I hope her success proves to her just how brilliant she is.  We are so proud of her for so many reasons!

We officially have taken our house off the market having missed the window of opportunity for relocating.  With the new term about to start I am not going to give my children any unnecessary upheaval.  Freddy is due to start nursery, Kizzy is going into year 5 and Ella, with her fabulous grades, will be starting a new college to study her A'Levels.  Although I initially wanted to escape this place, things have changed.  Throughout the summer Ella's circle of friends have become closer and tighter and my house has become the place to be.  Last night we had seven 16 year olds sleep over, so they could go to collect their results together.  They are all good kids and it makes me so happy to see my daughter having fun with such a lovely bunch.  They have forbidden us to move!  I am happy to stay.

Ella and her friends with their results.

My amazing 16 year old daughter!

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I also heard some really sad news this week, as a lad who we knew very well has died while at V Festival.  He was one of my son Joe's best friends when they were growing up on the estate where we used to live.  He spent a lot of time at our house and was a real cheeky chappy.  He always made us smile with his antics.  It is so tragic that he has died aged just 22.  The coroner's report has proved inconclusive.  Although this obviously isn't a reason to be cheerful, it reminds us to hold our loved ones closer and be so grateful for each other.  RIP Timmy x

Reasons To Be Cheerful....Change!

I've had a bit of a rubbish week.  But even rubbish weeks help you learn valuable lessons.  Life is all about growing as a person and although sometimes things have to change, things will hopefully work out for the best in the long run.  This week has been about this in lots of respects, and we're going through the aftermath and coming to terms with a whole heap of changes as a family.  However, lessons have been learned and for that I'm grateful.

1:  Yet again I've realised how amazing my husband is.  He is a man of integrity.  He puts our family first and I love his simple outlook on situations.  I've been a bit emotionally wobbly recently and he has put everything into perspective for me, making me see things for what they are.   He supports me 100% and just being reminded of these qualities makes me happy.  His job situation is still a bit flaky, but our relationship has never been stronger.

2:  My daughter Megan has finished university.  Three years of studying Business Management and Marketing at The University of Manchester has come to an end.  I'm so proud of her.  She has struggled with her health whilst she has been away and has had some problems that she has had to deal with on her own outside of the protection and comfort of her family.  But she has worked hard and now holds the honour of being the most educated person in our family with a well respected degree under her belt!

She has some recently had some big changes and more are on her horizon.  Times are tough for her right now. The economic climate means everything is more of a struggle but she will find a path befitting her abilities, talents and her personality.  She has got so much promise and potential.  Whatever she ends up doing, she'll make her mark on the world.  I love my daughter and am honoured to be her mum.

3:  Ella has almost finished her GCSE's.  Three more exams to go and she has coped admirably with her revision.  Like her big sister, she is also going through a lot of changes as she is leaving the comfort of her local school to attend a big sixth form college in a town which is an hour's bus ride away.  She has some lovely friends that she will be leaving behind, but they have plans to meet up every week for a catch up.  Ella's not had it easy these past months, but again I am so proud of her of her amazing self-resilience.  She'll be moving onwards and upwards and will have our full support as she takes on the next challenges in her life.

4:  My eldest son Joe is about to move house.  It's never easy!  But it is exciting to think of him and his girlfriend setting up a new home with the thought of their new baby being born into it.  Unfortunately Joe's moving date is the same as the date Megan is meant to vacate her student accommodation.  There will be juggling for us to do in order to help them both!!

5:  Our tickets have just arrived for The M Fest, Morrison's festival of Food and Music (two of my favourite things!!)  It will be Freddy and Kizzy's first weekend festival and it is something that Ian is very keen for them to experience.  It's also across Freddy's 3rd birthday weekend so will be a treat for us all to celebrate his special day!

We'll be postponing his birthday party for a few weeks, but it is something I'm really looking forwards to.  Lots of cake baking, music, fun, friends and family.  It will be fabulous and an opportunity for us to get together and give thanks for all that is good in our life and put behind all the bad bits!

6:  Today I helped sponsor a child in Niger along with a whole host of other bloggers.  This is another example of the good that can be done when the blogging community pulls together.  I'm so proud to be a part of  this!  If you want to be a part of something amazing check out this post from Merry at Patch of Puddles for #ShareNiger  You don't have to give a lot (I couldn't donate too much because of my husband's uncertain job future) but every penny counts.  A one off donation or a monthly payment can literally change the lives of children in Niger.  Together we truly can make a difference.

How To Help Teenagers With Revision and Exams

Revision, Exams and Staying Sane!

My daughter Ella is in revision mode for her GCSEs.  This involves lots of printed off A4 sheets, highlighter pens, folders and note making.  Across the country thousands of teenagers like her are embarking on their own preparations for the exams which are the culmination of their secondary school life.  Each will have their own approach to revision, and we as parents will need to keep calm and help them through this tricky time.

How as parents can we help our teens to prepare for these exams?

• Time management is key and it is important that our children dedicate time to each subject accordingly, thinking about their areas of strength and weakness.  Helping them to make a revision plan is a good way of overseeing just how much work they need to do and an opportunity to connect and communicate about the task ahead.  It allows them to share the load with you.  
• Sticking an exam timetable on the fridge makes sure you are all fully aware of what's coming up...plus crossing out the exams that have been done helps mark off the days until freedom! Very therapeutic and rewarding!
• Make sure that your child has a quiet place to revise and keep younger siblings away. Toddlers will love to have a go with a highlighter all over pages of diligently made exam notes, but it is not helpful! Unwanted distractions should be kept to a minimum.
• Ella regularly keeps a tab on her laptop connected to Facebook.  It allows her to keep in touch with her friends who are all in the same situation, and stops her feeling isolated in a sea of equations, quotes and facts.  As long is it doesn't become a major procrastination device and your teen can resist the urge to go off on a technological tangent, I think it can help minimize stress.  I personally won't be nagging her to carry out a social media blackout at this time...I know how much support it gives me!
• Make sure to supply an endless assortment of highlighters, post-it notes, notebooks and printer ink.   Constant supplies of drinks and healthy snacks will also be well received.  Bananas are great performance boosters!
• Don't let your teen work too hard.  Staying up all night cramming, energized by caffiene laden energy drinks does not help prepare for exams.  Regular breaks to watch a favourite TV show or just to take a breath of fresh air reward them for their efforts.
• Help out with a bit of testing!  Get involved and make it fun.  Quiz them on the periodic table or German vocabulary or reasons for population growth in the UK.  Facts are more likely to stick if they remember mum's feeble attempts at pronouncing conjugated German verbs over the dinner table. You never know, you could learn something that might stand you in good stead should you ever find yourself in a pub quiz!! 
• Keep calm and remember that it will all be over soon!

Good Luck Ella

Ella, like many teenagers, really doesn't like the actual examination process.  The soulless rows of desks and chairs, the silence and the humourless  invigilators do not make the best environment for her to perform with confidence, but with good preparation, good rest and lots of encouragement, I'm sure she will be OK.  I'll definitely not be putting her under any exam pressure, because being instrumental in an exam induced panic attack is not conducive to seeing your child achieve an A*.  I am also at this time reminded of great geniuses who did not achieve well within the confines of the education system: Richard Branson,  Lord Sugar, Einstein, Churchill and Walt Disney spring to mind!  As long as they achieve good enough results to go into the next phase of their desired future, then they have done a good job!!

Good luck to all GCSE students and their parents...here's hoping it is all as stress free as possible, and if times do get rough, just remind your teenager that Prom is just around the corner to reward them for all their efforts!!