02 February 2017
The Jersey Youth Service (JYS) has been highly praised by UK experts from national youth charity Ambition, which has awarded it bronze level accreditation in its Ambition Quality, the nationally-recognised standard for the youth sector.
Rachel Smith, the head of quality and training at Ambition, prepared the independent report which says: “Young people clearly love their time at JYS – they value the support and opportunities they are given and clearly articulate the difference services make to their lives.”
Jersey’s Principal Youth Officer, Mark Capern, said “We are delighted at this recognition of the positive work we’ve been doing for young people in the Island over many years. Although we do receive good feedback locally, it’s important to have the service reviewed by external experts and against national standards as this can be a valuable source of new ideas for future improvements and give us the opportunity to check out what we’re doing.
“It’s important we continue to adapt to make sure the Youth Service stays relevant to the needs of local young people, which are constantly changing. This is the first time the Youth Service has had this kind of inspection comparing us against national standards and we now have a clear plan to take us from bronze, to silver and then gold over the next 18 months.”
Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said “We’ve often said that the Jersey Youth Service is a jewel in our crown and this report reinforces what we know – that the service is well organised, effective and, most importantly, appreciated by the young people who use it. It makes an incredibly important contribution to Jersey society and I would like to thank the all the staff and volunteers involved.”
17-year-old Laurent Ybert is a JYS Young Ambassador. He said “This report makes me proud to be a member of the Youth Service community. It’s great to see the service being rightly praised by national sources. This really reflects the outstanding work we continue to see from every aspect of the service.”
More findings from the Ambition Quality report:
Outcomes for young people
There is a clear plan and relevant actions to ensure the views of young people are heard and that the service is based on need. Young people are at the heart of the organisation’s work and this can be seen clearly across all quality indicators.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is a real strength of JYS. There is a good safeguarding policy in place that clearly outlines the organisation’s commitment to protecting young people, staff and volunteers.
Equality and diversity
It's really clear that equality and diversity underpins all work across JYS and it's excellent to see a whole range of projects, initiatives and training to promote this amongst all stakeholders. This is also a definite area of strength for the organisation.
Staff and volunteers
Staff are passionate about their work with young people and are knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic about face-to-face work. Feedback from young people indicates that staff are very supportive, approachable, helpful and friendly, which is great to hear.
Leadership and management
The team have a strategic overview but also a very strong grasp on practical everyday issues. They have a realistic approach to managing a complex service.
Background
Ambition is a leading national youth charity. Ambition has been meeting the needs of young people for over 90 years through its diverse network of local authority, and voluntary and community sector members.
Ambition Quality is the quality mark of choice for organisations working with young people. It provides a structured framework, together with specialist support, to drive organisational change benefitting staff, volunteers and young people.
gov.je