During the Government Plan debate earlier this month, the States voted unanimously in favour of Deputy Inna Gardiner’s amendment calling for funding of £106,000 to be set aside for two new youth workers to engage with non-English-speaking young people.
Deputy Gardiner said that she was ‘very grateful’ that her proposals were passed unanimously, despite rejection of another section of the amendment calling for £56,000 for the Move On café in St Helier, which is also run by the Youth Service.
She added that one of her biggest concerns about non-English-speaking young people was their lack of knowledge of what the Island had to offer them and hoped the new workers could help address this.
‘I was very grateful that my amendment to the Government Plan for two youth workers for non-English-speaking youths was passed unanimously,’ she said.
‘If I wasn’t in the States I don’t think this would have come to the table. I recently asked students from Haute Vallée who have English as an additional language to help me serve coffees and teas for senior citizens at La Pouquelaye.
‘And I spoke with children from Romania, Poland and Portugal and I asked them did they know about the youth club they were sitting in? And they didn’t know.
‘Some of them had been in Jersey for almost two years and I asked what they liked to do. Some of them said that they liked swimming, for example, where they came from but they did not know that they could do that here at the Aquasplash.
‘There were other things, like they hadn’t been to Gorey Castle. They need to know what things there are here for them to do.’
Deputy Gardiner said she believed better interaction and participation with what the Island has to offer would help integrate young immigrants into Jersey.
‘When I arrived in Jersey I went on a Highlands walking course and went out with a Blue Badge guide to see all the places and I learned so much about the Island and met people,’ she said.
‘I think it’s this sort of connection that these young people are missing. So, I hope that the youth workers will help them with this.’
