CHILDREN have been given the chance to gain real-life skills under a new government scheme.

The National Citizenship Service chose a group of twelve children to volunteer at the Rabbit Residence in Royston.

While there they learned how to feed and tend to the animals needs, developing teamwork skills that organisers hope they will be able to transfer into real life.

Caroline Collings, owner of the Residence, said: “It was great to see all the kids being do enthusiastic and getting involved. Things like this can teach them so much and we hope to have them back in the future.”

Last year over 1,000 young people across the East region took part in NCS and contributed more than 25,000 hours to developing and delivering social action projects in the community.

Organiser Phil Couzins said: “The kids were brilliant and they could really see the great effort that Caroline is putting into her work. It is a massive commitment which they recognised and they are now considering repeating this scheme again because of our success here.”

Nationally, nine out of 10 participants believe National Citizen Service has given them the chance to develop skills that will be useful in the future.

Visit www.ncsyes.co.uk for more information.