NCS Teens Become Heroes Of Cruyff Court with Everton in the Community

NCS Teens Become Heroes Of Cruyff Court with Everton in the Community

The newly-opened Cruyff Court at Everton in the Community’s People’s Hub was put through its paces as hundreds of teens taking part in this summer’s National Citizen Service (NCS) attended a taster day of sports and activities.

More than 400 students, aged 16 and 17, who have signed up for NCS this summer enjoyed a seven-a-side football tournament, dodgeball, basketball, badminton, table tennis and more as they took a well-deserved break from exam revision.

The event was masterminded and organised by past NCS participants who are aiming to become ‘Heroes of the Cruyff Courts’. The programme encourages young people to become role models for their community, organising events for younger children at the Spellow Lane facility.

The Cruyff Court, brainchild of Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, is a community facility operated by EitC to provide children in the local neighbourhood with a safe place to play sports.

Nathan Clayton, 19, was one of seven teens who helped organise the event. Originally from Stoke-on-Trent and now studying geography at the University of Liverpool, Nathan completed NCS in 2014 and has since gone on to mentor and teach others on the programme.

“I’d very much like to deliver similar events in the future”

“The NCS programme and Heroes of the Cruyff Courts have lots in common so I was delighted to get involved with organising the events day,” he said.

“Both encourage teenagers to undertake new sporting challenges, make new friends and do something good for others and I think everyone who attended is now really fired up and looking forward to their NCS adventure this summer. I’ve learnt lots about event management and team leading and I’d very much like to deliver similar events in the future.”

National Citizen Service is a youth empowerment programme run in the school holidays where teens spend time undertaking outward bound activities, living independently and delivering a social action project to benefit their local community. It is delivered regionally by Everton in the Community on behalf of Ingeus.

Joseph Rowe, NCS Programme Manager at Everton Football Club, oversaw the taster event and added: “Nathan and the other organisers did a wonderful job and it was great to see young people from across the region coming together to enjoy the new Cruyff Court. The event has been in the planning since February and the team has handled all aspects of putting it together. From planning the activities, gathering equipment and promoting the event, to managing a budget and running everything on the day, the team has had a fully hands-on approach.”

? Click here to find out more about the four-week summer NCS programme for 16 and 17-year-olds.