THE summer holidays are often a time for children to unwind from a busy year at school.

But for a group of young people in Oxfordshire this year, it’s about getting active, meeting new people and creating projects that will benefit local communities.

Sixty teenagers from a range of different backgrounds in Oxfordshire have enrolled on the government’s National Citizen Service (NCS) taking on activities from braving high ropes courses to learning first aid.

It’s the first time that 16 and 17-year-olds in the county have had the opportunity to join the four-week service, provided by Headington voluntary youth charity, Oxfordshire Association for Young People (OAYP).

Oxfordshire County Council piloted the programme for about 30 teenagers with the help of OAYP in 2011 and ran it again in 2012. This year’s stint overlaps with OAYP’s current programme and NCS participation costs £50.

NCS project manager Jodie Leftwich said: “The programme is about encouraging young people to meet others they may not usually mix with – be it pupils from private or state-funded schools – and getting them to work together in a unique programme.”

The first week was based in Avon Tyrrell, Hampshire, for outdoor team-building activities. This week the pupils have been camping at the Youlbury Scout Activity Centre in Boars Hill and taking part in workshops.

Today’s programme featured a first aid lesson from the British Red Cross and a talk from the Young Classical Artists Trust.

Miss Leftwich added: “What’s amazing about the programme so far is just how quickly everyone has become friends.

“These teenagers are taken out of their comfort zones every day and have already learnt how to pull together. I can’t wait to see what projects they come up with at the end.”

Archie Stay, 17, from North Aston, a pupil at The Marlborough School, Woodstock, said: “It’s been fantastic so far.

“I would say meeting new people has been the highlight. We really got to know each other on tasks like the high ropes where you had to put your trust in strangers.

“I’ve got several ideas for the social action project at the end and my main aim will be to provide some kind of service that brings youth in Oxford together.”

Other teenagers on the programme are from schools including Headington School, Wheatley Park School, Wallingford School and Oxford High School for Girls.

Cherwell School pupil, Iris Yeung, 17, from Kidlington, said: “I really want to create a project at the end that makes a significant difference to a local community.”

The pupils will have a graduation ceremony at Oxford Brookes University on September 7.