Youth Driving Change

This week I had the honour as International Development Minister of opening a JOA event at the Jersey Arts Centre, which brought together young leaders, global partners and our island community for an inspiring conversation on “Youth Driving Change”.

We welcomed Unicef to the Island and also Restless Development, another NGO who focus on youth and so we were grateful to have the Jersey Youth Assembly join us and help lead the discussion.

I reminded the audience that across the globe, young people are stepping forward with curiosity, confidence and new ideas, finding practical ways to strengthen their own communities, and address issues they care about.

This is the address I gave:-

Good evening, and a very warm welcome to tonight’s Jersey International Development Network event, entitled: ‘Youth Driving Change’. 

This evening we are focusing on the role young people play in shaping the world. 

Across the globe, young people are stepping forward with curiosity, confidence and new ideas, finding practical ways to strengthen their own communities, and address issues they care about.

We see time and again, that solutions are stronger and more sustainable when young people help lead them.

We are joined tonight by Nathalie and Qiu from UNICEF and Shripathi and Megan from Restless Development – both organisations are partners of Jersey Overseas Aid, and who put young people at the heart of their work. 

They support young people not simply as participants, but as leaders, advocates and decision makers across areas such as climate resilience and gender equality.

I am also delighted to welcome members of the Jersey Youth Assembly, whose insight and leadership here in our Island, remind us that these themes resonate just as strongly at home as they do overseas.

This evening you will hear directly from those working with youth leaders, and from young representatives themselves who know this work best. You will hear how youth-led initiatives are influencing policy, strengthening communities and navigating real-world challenges with determination and creativity. 

And you’ll see how JOA’s partnerships help create the space for this work to grow.

Tonight is above all, a celebration of potential: 

the potential of young people when their ideas are taken seriously; and the potential for Jersey – small but outward looking – to contribute meaningfully to a future shaped by those who will inherit it.

At JOA we invest in this potential – just last week I signed an agreement with UNICEF to broaden our Junior Professional Officer programme (JPO). 

This programme provides islanders the opportunity to directly contribute to ongoing emergencies as full UN professionals and provide a recognised pathway to a career with the UN.

 We currently have two JPOs overseas with another UN agency, UNHCR (who work with Refugees) – one in Kiev and one in Cox’s Bazar Bangladesh.

Furthermore, this week I welcomed the CEO of the British Red Cross to our island to celebrate and reaffirm Jersey’s special bond with the Red Cross Movement. 

Aside from the financial support we provide for their relief efforts, I can announce that we were able to secure another Programme Associate role – which is a fully paid 18-month internship – that will provide a lucky islander an opportunity to work with them and to gain invaluable skills and experience which will stand them in good stead as they look to embark on a career in the development sector. 

This will be our 14th Islander to receive an Internship and the opportunity to work in this sector, which is a notoriously difficult sector to get into. 

The recipient of the first edition with the Red Cross, Athene Jackson, is currently in Kenya with the Red Cross having had stints in Lebanon, and will end her placement in Turkey. 

So plenty to think about and some good opportunities to look forward to.

 Before I hand back to Ed, I wanted to share a moment from a recent visit to Grouville School in my Parish, where I had been asked to talk to Year 5 & 6 about my work as International Development Minister. 

The talk was to recognise ‘World Children’s Day’. The students had taken part in UNICEF’s “Outright Campaign” where handwritten messages of what they had learned, of international development and JOA, were compiled into a wonderful book. 

I was genuinely impressed and extremely touched by the children’s understanding of the developing world, and by how clearly they recognised Jersey’s role in helping others. 

Their thoughtful and sometimes very challenging questions were both inspiring and encouraging, and I left with a real sense of optimism and pride. 

In 2025 alone, JOA reached over 1,500 students through our outreach programme and we will continue to invest in informing and encouraging the Island’s youth to take an interest in, and where possible, get involved in global issues – it is an essential part of our mission. 

And finally Thank you to you all, for being part of this discussion and for your ongoing support for Jersey’s role in international development.

I hope you enjoy the discussions ahead.

I would now like to hand over to Penelope and Ashley from the Jersey Youth Assembly.

The insights offered will guide how we continue to champion youth leadership in global development.

“When young people lead, we bring new perspectives, energy and ideas.” – JYA