TEENAGERS who have finished their GCSEs are being invited to take part in four-week National Citizen Service courses during the summer.

Oxfordshire County Council was the first local authority to deliver NCS in 2012, launched by then Prime Minister David Cameron.

Over the coming months almost 1,000 15 to 17-year-olds from across the county will take part in social action projects, personal development projects, and outdoor education.

Oxfordshire’s programme co-ordinator Ryan Johnson said: "We’re five years in and it’s fair to say the NCS is now a pretty big deal in Oxfordshire.

"We’ve reached the point where a very significant proportion - close to 10 per cent - of the county’s eligible students are taking part.

"It’s clear that young people and their families are seeing this both as a unique opportunity for personal and social development as well as a seriously useful addition to the CV.

"There’s a real buzz about what we’re able to offer students here and that’s helped us to continue to attract more participants – and therefore funding to help the scheme grow."

As well as its 62-acre Oxford-based outdoor education centre, Hill End, the council has access to three similar centres outside its borders in Gloucestershire, Devon and South Wales, where many of the NCS activities take place.

Mr Johnson added: "We are seeing many NCS graduates coming back as volunteers and paid staff, which creates a wonderful sense of continuity and is a real source of inspiration for the young people taking part.

"It also means Oxfordshire’s NCS is able to support the ongoing development of participants."

For further information about NCS courses visit oxfordshire.gov.uk