The government-funded National Citizen Service (NCS) has been accused of endangering young people by letting them choose which dormitories, toilets and showers they want to use. Parents on Monday night wondered if those who signed up their 16- and 17-year-olds for the two-week activity plan knew the dorms were mixed-sex. A mother who expressed political concerns was informed by a local provider that if girls felt uncomfortable with a boy in their bedroom, they should “be trained to respect the identity of the male”, it is reported. Another said her son left a camp in 2019 because he shared a men’s dormitory with a trans man and a teenage boy who had sex. The NCS was started in 2011 by Mr. Cameron, the then Prime Minister, as part of his plans for the “Great Society” and is considered central to his legacy. Over the past decade, it has received more than 1, 1.3 billion in taxpayer funding, which until last year accounted for almost 90 per cent of the Ministry of Culture, Media and Sport’s youth budget. Mr Cameron is the president of the patrons, and the government appoints the administrators. Last year, it received 75 75 million in public funding.
“Parents have a right to know”
However, parents and campaign groups on Monday night questioned whether the body away from the hands was properly protecting children. A mother told The Telegraph that her 16-year-old son, who recently began dating as a girl after watching a video on YouTube, joined the camp this year and dismissed the “female” when asked about his gender. As a result, the local camp provider asked him which room he would prefer to sleep in. When the mother expressed her concerns, she said that she was told that “we will allow young people to identify themselves and enter any dormitory they feel comfortable in.” He said: “I did not think it was fair to go to the girls’ dormitory. If mixed sex dormitories are allowed, then obviously there is a risk of sexual intercourse, but this is also a threat to girls’ privacy. “I do not know any 16-year-old girl who would be confident to be naked in public because she is such a difficult age. “I think girls and their parents need to know that this is happening.” The mother added that many teenage girls will find it difficult to challenge because of the controversy surrounding the issue of transgender access to women. He told the provider that parents had a “right to know”, but said they claimed they could not share the information because of GDPR rules.
Trans participants were assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The organizers added that if a girl had given a reason for not sharing – such as religious beliefs or past traumas – they would not have placed her in a room with a biological male. NCS integration policy states that trans participants should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the decision should be made by the local provider. Advise staff to ask participants: “What are their individual accommodation preferences and which toilets, showers and changing rooms are more comfortable to use?” In showers and facilities, they are told: “Any alternative arrangement should be taken into account by the young person’s individual preference.” Other local providers advertise that they have “gender accommodation” or say they do not have “mixed accommodation” without specifying whether gender is self-identifying. “Most parents would not realize this is happening. “They seem to confuse gender and gender,” said the mother. “I think if I were to be non-profit, they rely on this confusion a little bit, at best, it is misleading and, at worst, it is intentional.”
“Adults should never relinquish responsibility to children”
A spokesman for Safer Schools Alliance UK, a campaign team, said they had been contacted by “many parents who were concerned that schools and other organizations were segregating overnight accommodation by gender and not gender”. “This is contrary to safeguards and basic common sense,” he said. “Children have the right to be protected by the adults around them. With mixed-sex sleep, there are problems with privacy, dignity and security. There is a possibility of sexual harassment, assault and / or pregnancy. “Organizations that work with children have a duty to protect them. Ensuring requires transparency and cooperation. Parents should be informed if their children are sleeping in single or mixed accommodation. “Adults should never relinquish their responsibility to protect and make decisions for children.”
“All young people can benefit from NCS”
Mark Gifford, CEO of NCS Trust, said he was taking the assurance “incredibly seriously”, adding: “It’s of the utmost importance and we are proud of our exemplary history. “While our policy recognizes that residence decisions are made on a case-by-case basis by our delivery partners, we would never accept any decision that leaves a young person feeling vulnerable or in danger. “Like many organizations, we develop our policies in the light of increased focus and awareness of this important and complex issue. “However, our primary mission is to ensure that all young people, whoever they may be, can benefit from the NCS program. “If this creates challenges for our body, we will address them, always ensuring that every young person is safe.” Mr Cameron did not respond to a request for comment.
