JERSEY Youth Parliament members this week raised concerns about a lack of facilities for young people, as a survey carried out by JYP suggested that 89% were considering leaving the Island.
Students, aged between 12 and 18, were in the States Assembly as part of Democracy Week.
JYP members presented some of the research, including a survey of 200 students aged 13 to 17, in which 47% said they did not want to stay in Jersey and 42% said they were unsure. Only 11% said they wanted to stay in the Island.
Reasons for this included ‘isolation, better offers elsewhere, not enough activities for teenagers and the cost of housing’.
The presentation from the Right to Play campaign pointed towards a need for more parks that catered for teenagers.
Emily (14) said that while seeing her friends was important, ‘when I go to meet my friends, we can never find anything to do and end up just sitting on a bench instead of actually doing something fun’.
‘Most of the time we just go home early,’ she added.
The Right to Play group’s presentation included a list of the Island’s best parks, with Millbrook coming out as the group’s favourite and facilities in St Mary, St Peter and St John ranking at the bottom.
JYP members mentioned a ‘dearth of facilities’ in the east of the Island.
Housing Minister David Warr told the JYP the government ‘wants to keep people here, particularly young people who can contribute to the community’.
