The Challenge is a pilot project, aimed at developing a national scheme to encourage all young people to become involved in their local and national communities, and to see this as a desirable and almost universal, though voluntary, transition to adult status. 8 JAGS girls, together with young people from state schools and those no longer in education, have been involved in policy consultations for the project since its beginnings almost two years ago, and a new group was involved in the pilot project in Southwark in the summer of 2009.

The aim is to conceive, plan and deliver a community project; JAGS girls have been involved in, for example, a performance, writing a handbook on disabled access, and raising aspirations in primary schools.

The project has the support of V for Volunteering, the government organisation to encourage young people to volunteer, as well as the Conservative Party, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and other non-governmental organisations.

The writing below reflects the experience for one of the JAGS girls involved in August 2010:

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first arrived on the day of meeting everyone and getting to know my group of 12 but I can definitely say I was very nervous about it all. However, there was no need to be; everyone was so friendly and welcoming to each new member of the group and instantly made you feel part of a team. The mentors were all lovely and really helped you get settled in.

The first week was at an outward bounds centre in the Lake District where we did many different activities. These were rock climbing, a hike up a mountain and then camping and also water sports. These activities encouraged your team to bond and work together; a difficult task when you had only just met them but it helped us to all become friends with each other quickly.

In the second week we stayed at Greenwich University and each group went to learn about their specific subject. I was in the Media group so my team went to BBC White City Studios where we learnt how to make and edit films. We had to choose a particular topic in groups of 3 and interview people on the street on it. Then we had to edit it and present it at the Challenge Festival with all the other groups on what they had been doing over the past week. This was great fun and I got to do something that I had never thought about before.

In the third week we went to Southwark University and in our groups, we had to plan a community action project. My team chose to do 'connecting' so we decided to connect the elderly with the young. We went to a Day Care centre close to the University and talked with the elderly and shared stories with them. We also had an arts and crafts day where we taught them our skills and they taught us theirs. We all found this experience really rewarding and I know that we are going to carry on visiting them and also other Day Care centres. This whole experience has made me able to work in a team a lot better and it made me meet new people who have become good friends.

 
Amy Whale, Y12