“LIVES could be lost” unless the third sector receives more government support, a charity representative has warned following the closure of Jersey Recovery College.
Robert Surcouf, deputy chair of the Association of Jersey Charities, said that the charitable sector had been doing “a lot of heavy lifting” when it came to mental-health support in the Island.
Jersey Recovery College, which offered education and training to Islanders experiencing mental-health difficulties, cited increasing costs and a reduction in donations as factors in its decision to close with immediate effect on Monday. Ten staff have lost their jobs, while around 50 volunteers are affected.
The news comes as two other non-profit organisations this week highlighted the financial difficulties they faced.
Mr Surcouf said: “We have seen comments from government about the challenges around the provision of services and budgetary restrictions in the area of mental health, but this is not a problem to be brushed under the carpet as it impacts lives and families, it impacts productivity, it impacts all our futures, especially with an ageing population.
“The charitable sector has been doing a lot of heavy lifting and without material support the services will run short and the pressure on the health service will rise. Sadly, if not promptly addressed the true price could be in lives lost. A far too heavy price.”
Health Minister Tom Binet said he was sorry to hear of the JRC’s demise, adding that his department had worked closely with the charity to provide additional support in recent months.
Deputy Binet said that Health and Community Services “was considering how the services offered by the Recovery College on behalf of HCS can be provided in an alternative way as soon as possible to ensure that Islanders continue to be fully supported with their mental health”.
Mr Surcouf described the closure of the JRC as “a real tragedy” for the Island’s mental-health support network.
In a statement, he called on the government to recognise the “important role” the charitable sector played in supporting the community and to provide the necessary funding and resources to ensure organisations could continue their work.
He added: “The awareness and training provided by the JRC will have saved lives and kept families together, and the loss of this and the personal support and training will undoubtedly increase demand on the other excellent charities that also operate in this area.”
Mr Surcouf’s comments come after a freedom-of-information response published earlier this year revealed that government grants to the JRC reduced from £184,887 in 2019 to £99,336 in 2024.
Mr Surcouf described the last five years as “very challenging” for the third sector, with many organisations still trying to recover from the impact of the pandemic. Potential donors also have less disposable income, he said.
Another FoI response highlighted that donations made to Jersey charities plummeted by 33% from £16.8 million in 2021 to £11.2 million in 2023.
AllMatters Neurodiverse Jersey, a charity which aims to promote understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity, has said that it will be closing its community hub at the end of September as the building they rent is up for sale “and without any funding in place we have not been able to secure the lease on another property”.
The charity added: “We know how much this safe space meant to our community and we will endeavour to find a new solution. This will mean that some services will now have to be placed on hold for the moment.”
Meanwhile, the Butterfly Café, a non-profit venture providing job opportunities and workplace training to hundreds of Islanders who have experienced abuse, issued an appeal for funds this week, saying higher costs were “jeopardising everything we’ve built and all that we’ve achieved”.
The café’s founder and chief executive, Cheyenne O’Connor, said they were in talks with the government about funding.
A crowdfunding appeal has been launched (justgiving.com/crowdfunding/shelley-hollis-1?), while the organisation has also called on Islanders to contact them directly at cheyenne@thebutterflyeffect.je.
