A Sutton girl has been selected by a national youth empowerment programme to help announce its new board, chaired by former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Kiana Chiu, 17, is one of a team of National Citizen Service (NCS) graduates inducting 18 NCS patrons who will work with the organisation’s executive team to make sure as many Year 11 teenagers as possible get to experience the initiative.

For Kiana this has already meant she has been invited to meet the newly announced NCS board of patrons at the launch event on July 15.

She met industry leaders to discuss how NCS has impacted her life and how the patrons can support teens in the future through the programme.

Commenting on her experience, Kiana said: “The best part of the NCS Patrons event was hearing everyone’s stories.

“Some of the grads I knew, but having graduated in different years, they had such different but inspiring stories.

“Everyone at NCS is always so social and you can always strike up a conversation with anyone and it’ll be like you’ve known them for ages.

“It was also amazing to witness how stories affected the patrons and got them further interested in NCS.”

She also spoke about how she has found the programme, adding: “NCS has really opened up so many doors for me and it’s really helped me with my confidence and I’ve made so many friends.

“I graduated in 2016 and since then I’ve been an NCS leader, joined the London South regional youth board, passed the associate mentor test and I am confident that I can inspire youths to continue with NCS.

“More specifically, I learnt the extent to which NCS is so inclusive, trying to provide an experience that can help a variety of people.

“There is something for everyone and I really believe that the patrons will be able to further diversify the range of interests available on NCS.”

Many dignitaries will be on the new board, including ITV journalist and founder of Speakers for Schools Robert Peston, editor of Radio 4’s Today programme Sarah Sands and the chief executive of Barnado’s Javed Khan.

David Cameron, chair of the NCS patrons, said: “I’m so proud to welcome such an inspirational group of individuals to the NCS patrons board.

“These people already make a huge contribution to our country in media, education, business, sport, music politics and the armed forces.

“By investing in our young people – helping them, through NCS, to become confident, resilient, tolerant and happy adults – they will be making an even bigger contribution still.

“I can’t wait to start working together.”

Places can still be booked online at www.ncsyes.co.uk