The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS) was a membership network of over 200 voluntary and community organisations, as well as local and regional networks, that work with and for young people across England. The organisation closed in 2016. For 80 years, NCVYS acted as an independent voice of the voluntary and community youth sector, working to inform and influence public policy, supporting members to improve the quality of their work, and also raising the profile of the voluntary and community sector's work with young people.
History
NCVYS was founded on 24 March 1936 by representatives of 11 of England's largest youth organisations (known then as 'juvenile organisations'). They met under the auspices of the 'National Council of Social Services', now known as the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), of which NCVYS has remained a member. The representatives agreed to form a 'Standing Conference of Juvenile Organisations' (SCJO) to promote mutual cooperation and coordination between their organisations. The first meeting of the new committee was held on 26 May 1936.
The 11 organisations which contributed to the foundation of SCJO/NCVYS were The National Association of Boys' Clubs; Boys' Brigade; YMCA; YWCA; The Girls' Guildry; Church Lads' Brigade (now known as the Church Lads' and Church Girls' Brigade); The Girls' Friendly Society (now known as GFS Platform); Boy Scouts Association; Girl Guides Association; The National Council of Girls' Clubs; and the Girls Life Brigade. All remain as members, though some have changed their name or merged with other organisations.
Captain Stanley Smith of the Boys' Brigade was elected as the first chairman.
From 1939, membership was open to so-called 'National Juvenile Organisations' which had a membership of at least 10,000, which were non-political in nature, and which worked towards assisting youths' mental, moral or physical training for citizenship. These requirements remained until 1972, when it was decided that a membership of 10,000 was no longer necessary. The constitution was also changed at this time so that members were now classified as 'Community and Voluntary Youth Services', which included local government initiatives, or 'National Voluntary Youth Organisations', which included charities and foundations.
The SCJO was renamed several times, but remained consistent in its aims and values. In 1939 it became the 'Standing Conference for National Juvenile Organisations' (SCNJO); then in 1943 it became the 'Standing Conference of National Voluntary Organisations' (SCNVJO). It acquired its current name, NCVYS, in 1972.
By 1947, the total number of young people involved with its member organisations was nearly 2 million.
1970s
A new name, The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS) was proposed and adopted on 15 September 1972. A further review of the constitution was also adopted, which defined a new statement of aims: ‘to endeavour to meet the needs and aspirations of young people by strengthening and supporting the work of its members’. In addition to constitutional reforms, membership arrangements were simplified: the requirements for member organisations to have over 10,000 was dropped and two member categories were established, full and observer members. Most crucially, full members were divided into two groups, national voluntary youth organisations and, for the first time, local councils for voluntary youth services. The need for the participation of young people at national and local levels was stressed.