09 June 2017
A new local charity called Jersey Support Youth has been set up in conjunction with the Island's youth service to help the young people of Jersey. All money raised by the new charity will be used locally to directly fund youth work.
The Jersey Youth Service will identify specific projects where extra funding and assistance is required to create opportunities and improve the lives of young people in the island.
Two launch projects have already been identified. These will provide further support to the island’s young carers and to LGBT young people to help with their personal and social development to improve their lives and prospects. More information on our starting projects can be found on the Jersey Support Youth website where donations can also be made.
The chair of the new charity is entrepreneur Jonathan Ruff, who owns the Tamba attractions. Jonathan, who has already established a charity called ‘Ruff’s Kitchen’ a food program for vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, said “Jersey already has an excellent Youth Service but there are areas that need extra funding that cannot be provided by the States. Through this new charity, I want to develop even more services to support our young people. Having set up a charity for children in Zimbabwe it is my honour to be involved in a charity that will help the young people of Jersey, I feel it’s our duty as Islanders to help our young people in need, so if we can we should, as they are the future of Jersey.
“We have already started working with the Youth Service team and have some projects in mind and some fund-raising ideas planned for 2017. All the money we raise will be exclusively for local young people in the island and that’s what makes this such an important and worthwhile charity.”
The Education Minister, Deputy Rod Bryans, said “This is a partnership that has enormous potential to deliver new initiatives for our young people. Our Youth Service team is ambitious but limited by their budget so this provides a creative and positive new way forward. Bringing in the wider community and harnessing their business skills is exactly the kind of approach we need.”
Principal Youth Officer Mark Capern said “This is a very exciting time for the service and being able to secure additional funds means we can improve our youth work and add to it, widening the number of ways we can support young people, especially those who are vulnerable. It is great to be working with Jonathan and his team who bring a fresh, dynamic approach.”
The charity will be setting up funding raising events and also looking for corporate and private sponsors who wish to see the lives of vulnerable young people improved.
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