NCS Trust and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) announce grantees to deliver £2.7m Enrichment Partnerships Pilot

Thousands of marginalised young people in targeted areas of England will soon benefit from improved access to quality enrichment activities, as the first organisations to participate in a pioneering enrichment partnerships pilot – overseen by National Citizen Service (NCS Trust) and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) – are announced. 

​In November 2023, NCS and DofE revealed that they had been chosen to oversee a £2.7 million Enrichment Partnerships Pilot (EPP) for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education (DfE).

Fourteen organisations have now been commissioned for the pilot, which will give thousands of young people in schools across the North East, North West and East of England, the chance to participate in high quality enrichment activities, ranging from sports and arts to volunteering and outdoor experiences.  

​With a focus on 200 secondary schools within Education Investment Areas, the selected grantees will work with schools and local organisations to connect young people with a wide range of opportunities and activities that have been co-designed with young people themselves to ensure the offer is relevant and inspiring.

​The grantees include:

• North West: Manchester City Council, Youth Fed, PIE, Altus Education,  Salford City Council and Children’s University. ​
• North East: NE Youth, Youth Focus: North East, Durham Wildlife Trust and Groundwork North East. ​
• East of England: UK S Futures, Portland College, Villiers Park and Notts County Foundation.

​Kevin Franks, Chief Executive of Youth Focus: North East, said:

“We look forward to working in collaboration with our national, regional and local partners in making a positive impact on the lives of the young people and organisations we serve”

​Welcoming the new grantees to the partnership, Mark Gifford, CEO of NCS Trust, said:

“Alongside The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, we’re excited to leverage the expertise of several youth sector organisations, as well as local authorities and multi-academy trusts to deliver the Enrichment Partnerships Pilot.

“They’ve each seen the value in supporting schools, including many in the most underserved communities, to boost their enrichment offer. Efforts will soon be underway equipping young people with the experiences and skills to become work ready and world ready.”

​Ruth Marvel, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said:

“These exciting partnerships open the door of possibility for thousands of young people in some of England’s most disadvantaged areas. They will improve links between schools and their local communities to give young people access to experience that will boost their well-being and help them develop crucial skills and grow in self-belief and resilience.”

​Further grantees in the North East and East of England areas are expected to join as EPP grantees in the coming months, following a reopened application window.

Over the past decade, more than 800,000 young people have benefitted from an NCS experience, dedicating over 18 million hours to community based social action, while gaining invaluable life experiences.

Every year, over 550,000 young people from all walks of life participate in a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) programme. Each DofE experience is unique, enabling young people to explore who they are, grow in confidence and develop the skills and self-belief they need to successfully navigate life. The DofE is delivered in schools, colleges, community organisations, hospitals, prisons and more, all over the UK.