David Cameron has announced plans to send 16-year-olds to a 'national service' summer camp to encourage them to be good citizens.

The national service summers camps is part of a National Citizen Service (NCS) is to be put in place for next summer as part of Cameron's Big Society agenda.

The seven- to eight-week programme will run from from June to September, is expected to include an "outdoor challenge", "visiting and helping the local community" and "designing a social action task", the coalition government said.

Cameron said Britain suffered from a "tragic waste of potential", so the idea behind the programme is that young people will be taught how to become more responsible and caring adults.

"The young people of this country are as passionate and idealistic as any generation before - perhaps more passionate," he said. "But too many teenagers appear lost and feel their lives lack shape and direction. National Citizen Service will help change that.

"It's going to mix young people from different backgrounds in a way that doesn't happen right now.

"It's going to teach them what it means to be socially responsible. Above all it's going to inspire a generation of young people to appreciate what they can achieve and how they can be part of the Big Society."

The programme is going to cost over £50million to run - around £1,400 per person.

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