OXFORD United’s official charity has been chosen to deliver an 'exciting' new programme for teenagers in the city.

Oxford United in the Community has been hand-picked to be one of the organisations that runs the National Citizen Service (NCS) locally.

In the scheme, the charity will give youngsters aged 15 to 17 a chance to take on fresh challenges, get a taste of independence and deliver a 'social action project' that aims to positively impact their local area.

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Oxford United in the Community won a contract to deliver NCS from 2020 onwards after a joint bid with the English Football League Trust, and joins 65 other 'delivery partners'.

Asa part of the deal, the charity won funding to employ a new programme delivery manager, and managers are recruiting for that position now.

Charity head Chris Lowes said he was excited to be a part of the new NCS network of partners who will deliver its 'flagship' programme for young people over the next five years.

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He said: “We are proud to have been selected as a key delivery partner for this exciting five-year project in partnership with the NCS and EFL Trust.

“The project is aligned to our strategy and key objectives to engage with youngsters and inspire them to be the best they can be.

“We are looking to delivering a positive impact in Oxfordshire via this exciting new programme.

“This marks another big step in our strategy towards growing the services we offer as we move towards a much wider provision of youth-based offerings across Oxfordshire.”

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As part of NCS,teenagers are also 'given a platform to have their voices heard', and last year several NCS participants wrote pieces about their projects for the Oxford Mail.

Since it launched in 2009, the growing programme has engaged about 500,000 youngsters.

Through the EFL Trust, over 1.8 million hours of voluntary work has been delivered 'addressing local and national issues which young people are passionate about' such as mental health and plastic waste.

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Operations director Mike Evans said: “Our vision is to create a stronger, healthier more active communities and we see the delivery of NCS as a significant part of achieving this.

“We are delighted to be able to grow our supply chain of club community organisations and youth organisations involved in NCS and are proud of the impact we have had through NCS so far.

“Supporting thousands of young people as they transition into adulthood and then in turn make a positive difference in their community is something to be immensely proud of, and we look forward to continuing that in the future.”

Michael Lynas, chief executive of NCS Trust said: “I’m incredibly proud of everything that NCS has achieved in the last ten years.

“As it moves into the next phase of its life, I’m confident NCS can make a more significant difference for our young people and their communities than ever before.”

Oxford United in the Community is the football club’s official charity and aims to 'inspire youngsters to reach their potential and improve their health'.