Thousands of young people across the country gave up their time to make a positive impact in their area late last month. Tackling issues such as homelessness, loneliness, the environment, cultural divides and mental health, teens took action as part of NCS Action Day, a national movement organised by National Citizen Service (NCS). Brentford FC Community Sports Trust engages thousands of young people aged 16 and 17, delivering NCS, programme funded by the Government. This is replicated by other community organisations across the country.

NCS Action Day is an annual event which aims to showcase the true power of young people. NCS graduates use their skills and experience they gained on the programme to continue to make positive changes in their local area. Club community organisations (CCOs) and other youth organisations worked closely with young people from NCS to carry out innovative projects.

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust engages thousands of young people every year on the NCS scheme. Participants enjoy priceless life experience and complete over 15 million hours of community action raising awareness of mental health and homelessness, tackling issues such as the environment and loneliness and redeveloping local spaces for the community to enjoy. Those that take part have a time they will never forget.

Through the English Football League Trust, over 1.8 million hours of voluntary work has been delivered addressing local and national issues which young people are passionate about. These include mental health, the environment and plastic waste. In partnership with EFL Trust, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust won the contract to deliver NCS from 2020 onwards joining 65 delivery partners that will be managed by EFL Trust.

The EFL Trust is the charitable arm of the EFL and was established in 2008 to oversee the work of EFL club community organisations, such as Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. It is responsible for distributing core funding from the Premier League and The PFA to each CCO and highlights community work done by clubs across the country. Our Trust has worked with the EFL Trust for more than a decade and many projects are still ongoing, including the NCS scheme.