ALL jobs at a charity which help Islanders with disabilities find employment have been put “at risk” of redundancy due to a drop in government funding, while hundreds supported by the charity could be impacted.
The 38 members of staff at the Jersey Employment Trust were told yesterday afternoon that additional government funding would not be made available this year.
The organisation is contracted by the Employment, Social Security and Housing Department to provide vocations training and employment support for Islanders with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Under the terms of the agreement, the government provides £1.9 million in funding to the charity.
However, the charity has said that increases in demand and the cost of living have meant that, for each of the previous four years, a top-up grant from government has been required.
In a statement, the organisation said: “No final decisions have yet been made on individual roles within the organisation, and the consultation process is intended to explore all options, including ways to minimise compulsory redundancies where possible.
“Staff at Acorn Enterprises, which is a separate company under the umbrella of JET, are unaffected. JET recognises the seriousness of this situation and the concern it will cause for staff, clients and their families.
“Supporting those affected and communicating clearly and compassionately remains a priority, and all clients are in the process of being contacted over the coming days. The Trust will provide further updates as the consultation process progresses and, while that is getting underway, will not be providing further comment at this time.”
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