NCS The Challenge Employee Reviews

Lovely to interact with the young people and get to know them, but management is often poor due to the lack of organisation. You often end up doing way over your paid hours.

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Fun but intense

Team Mentor (Former Employee) - Alfreton, Derbyshire - 30 May 2023

I really enjoyed working with the staff and with the young people on the programme, however as an anxious introvert, it is very hard. The first two weeks, which are the residential weeks, were particularly difficult as there was no proper breaks from it all. I’m constantly surrounded by people and constantly in “work mode” so to speak. It can be really draining and also makes the job feel like you’re being underpaid.

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Nice fun easy summer programme

Team Leader (Former Employee) - East London, Greater London - 27 April 2023

If you’re looking for a some summer work I’d recommend friendly people fun activities and decent money for a 3 week programme. I would do it again as a wave leader.

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Good

Mentor (Former Employee) - Loughborough, Leicestershire - 30 January 2023

I had fun working for them. Good team, good part time job for the summer. Can be tiring at times but the rewards are worth it and the pay is quite alright.

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Productive and Fun workplace

Youth Engagement Specialist (Former Employee) - Birmingham, West Midlands - 24 January 2023

It is a fast paced and ever changing work environment. Extremely target driven and motivated company whom kept young people at the heart of everything they do. I loved each and every second of it.

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Insights into NCS The Challenge

Based on 4 survey responses

What people like

Trust in colleagues
Sense of belonging
Support from manager

fun

worker (Former Employee) - Walsall - 15 October 2022

for young people who want to help young people, theres nothing more to it in terms of progression most of it is filling summer times and volunteering .

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Fast paced but fun

Team Mentor (Former Employee) - Woking, Surrey - 7 October 2022

I worked in the summer and would say you gain a lot of experience working with children from this job. It can be stressful at times and feel there could be slightly more training.The staff team were all really friendly and everyone got along

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Ncs is an amazing place to work

Team Leader (Current Employee) - Bedford, Bedfordshire - 4 October 2022

I loved every day spent working for ncs from the initial interview up until present. You really feel like you’re making a difference to the young people !

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Really fun experience

Senior Mentor (Former Employee) - Leeds - 6 May 2022

Really enjoyed my time working for NCS, the days were fast paced but really well planned and a lot of fun! Felt like I built a lot of skills in a short space of time

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Productive

Volunteer (Former Employee) - Walsall - 13 April 2022

Was only student volunteer, it was good experience. Working with under 17s though so could have any sort of situation come up. Good active few week get to know more people

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Great experience for first job

APM (Former Employee) - Various - 17 March 2022

Great experience but long hours during the summer months when programme was running. In terms of the company culture this was good with opportunities for personal development and socialising with colleagues.

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Great fun!

Community Support Worker (Former Employee) - London, Greater London - 26 January 2022

They had a really fun youthful culture. There’s a lot to learn and lots of room to progress. It’s a great start to work for a young person. Would definitely recommend.

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Great experience

Wave and team leader (Former Employee) - Essex - 18 November 2021

NCS The Challenge is a great experience and a good company or program to get involved with. It is a government funded organisation that gives young people opportunities to grow and develop or enhance their potential through social cohesion, character, confidence and building culminating in a community action project of their choice. Wonderful experience.

Pros

Free meals, short term contract

Cons

Short term contract as seasonal

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Productive fun workplace

NCS Team Leader (Former Employee) - Luton, Bedfordshire - 11 September 2021

Working at Ncs for the summer was really fun a lot more exciting than a sales assistant job you really have to be on your feet . Looking after young people all day and if your on site you never really clock out.

Pros

Overnight stay awesome free activities

Cons

Long hours, quick thinking

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Fun Place to work

Fundraiser (Former Employee) - Hemel Hempstead - 22 December 2020

during this time I was able to meet many different people, and learn about other peoples cultures and routines, although the early mornings can leave a person tired it is also a joy once with everyone, a lot of the time it felt like a social club more than work.

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Poor

Administrator (Former Employee) - Glasgow, Glasgow - 24 July 2020

Salary was rubbish, they don’t care about their staff. Worked there 10 years and still didn’t get good pay. Wages docked when my child was unwell even though I was never off sick etc

Pros

None

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Team leading skills

Volunteer (Former Employee) - Hertfordshire - 29 June 2020

I loved the experience as we learned team building skills and how to manage to work in a team and lead a team. We worked in group and one would be the leader and we would switch around. We also did charity work also.

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Good place to work and gain experience in leadership and teamworking

Assistant Programme Leader (Former Employee) - West Midlands - 1 June 2020

Good place to work and gain experience in leadership and teamworking, Pay is okay and you'll meet a lot of people from different backgrounds. Young people really enjoy programme which can make it really rewarding.

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Honestly, not worth it. Underpaid and unappreciated

Team Mentor (Former Employee) - Nottingham, Nottinghamshire - 22 May 2020

I worked for NCS part time over the summer as a team mentor. I was contracted to certain amount of hours and would get paid a specific amount. This equalised to around £6 per hour - shoddy, I know. Unknowingly, all of the mentors and leaders were worked well over the contracted hours! The first two weeks were basically 24 hour shifts! Mentors and leaders were abused by ‘troubled’ kids. Management were terrible, they cared little for issues like this and the kids got away with everything. We are not baby-sitters and punch bags. You had to do extra work (impossible) for extra money which would be fine if it didn’t sound like a threat all the time. I took this job as a student wanting to earn some money over the summer - never again!! Some of the incidents that happened during the time I was there was disgraceful. The only upside to working this is that you make friends with fellow leaders and mentors who share the same poor experience. Oh, and they pay by age!! Yes, you could be doing the exact same job as someone a couple of years older and they get paid £100s more! Under-paid, unappreciated and quite frankly, uncared for. Sort it out.

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Fun and fast paced workplace

Recruitment Projects Specialist (Former Employee) - Southwark, London - 11 April 2020

Good place to start your career if you are fresh out of university. Great culture, great people and great energy. Giving back to the community and making a chnage in the world. Poor progression and no real opportunity for promotion.

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fun workplace

Telesales Agent (Former Employee) - Manchester, Greater Manchester - 6 April 2020

it was a fun place to work where the people were helpful and easy going. the work was fast paced but achievable targets and relaxed. was in a good location and easy to get to.

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