TEENAGERS who have been doing their bit for the community with the help of Swindon Town have graduated from a national initiative.

The autumn edition of the National Citizen Service that was delivered by Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust has seen several of the young people achieve their qualification.

The Cabinet Office-backed initiative aims to promote team working, organisational and critical thinking skills within the participants before providing them with the opportunity to put their new skills to the test in the local community.

In the lead up to Christmas, three teams began learning about the work done in the community for young people and adults with a range of disabilities and also attended a sign along workshop to develop their communication skills in preparation for their work with these groups of people.

Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust has taken one of the participants on to their Football and Futsal Education Programme such was the impression that he made on the staff of the Community Trust.

Adam Tribbick, education officer and NCS co-ordinator, said: “With the programme only coming to a head in December, to have a whole array of students already looking to extend the work they have already completed off of their own backs is incredible.

“The government’smission is to get more teenagers engaging in their communities in order to boost their awareness and of local issues as well as making themselves more attractive to employers and universities. From our experience of this programme this seems to be working.”