The research has been commissioned by the Caritas International Association – an organisation which launched this week with the aim of supporting Jersey’s minority nationalities.
The association also plans to also publish a ‘welcome’ handbook to help minority populations get by in Jersey, which will be published in a number of different languages.
John Scally, executive director of Caritas Jersey, said that the handbook is intended to help the many newcomers to the Island who struggle to understand how things work here.
‘A lot of people coming to Jersey haven’t really been able to understand how to deal with problems they face,’ he said. ‘That includes simple things like how do they change their driving licence. In a lot of cases people are only finding out how things work when they are turning up for court appearances [for offences such as not having valid car insurance].’
He added that Professor Francis Davis at Birmingham University has been requested to produce a ‘short research paper’ into how minorities integrate into Jersey society. ‘We feel that there are issues with social inclusion with some of the minority nationalities. Caritas International Association has been set up to help them integrate and become a full part of Jersey society,’ said Mr Scally.
The association was founded by Catholic charity Caritas Jersey and representatives of the Jersey’s minority populations, such as the Polish consul, Magda Chmielewska.
Mr Scally said that the organisation has grown to include the ‘many different’ nationalities living in the Island. ‘It will be the engine room of the Caritas social-inclusion project designed to empower local people of whatever nationality to take as full a part as possible in Jersey society,’ he said. ‘We are grateful to Lloyd Foundation for its generous financial support.’
The association was launched by Senator-elect Kristina Moore at the Welcome Centre Café next to St Thomas’ Church this week.
*More information about the Caritas International Association can be found at ciajersey.org or by calling 01534 768963.
