32 Jersey charities ask election candidates to commit to 'key asks'

A group of Jersey Health, Care, and Community charities have put together seven key 'asks' for this year's election candidates to prioritise inclusion.

Each candidate has received a copy of the '7 Election Asks' and has been asked to confirm their commitment to some or all via an online form.

The asks aim to 'support our work for the benefit of the island, and to embed inclusion into the everyday.'

They are:

Ask 1: Nothing About Us Without Us - not creating or voting on laws and policies that affect marginalised groups without engaging with them first. 

Ask 2: Fair Laws and Equal Rights - New or updated legislation that sets a standard for 'safety, inclusion, and belonging.' Including raising the Minimum Wage in parity with the Living Wage, Hate Crime legislation, and legislation to protect unpaid carers.

Ask 3: Access to Fair and Inclusive Education - Stronger anti-bullying rules when bullying is aimed at minority groups, and better training for teachers. Diversity embedded in education to avoid the ‘othering’ of marginalised groups.

Ask 4: Fair And Supportive Healthcare For Everyone 

Ask 5: Training & Education - Ensuring that all Government and ALO staff understand the barriers encountered by marginalised groups

Ask 6: Social Responsibility - Promote, celebrate and endorse social responsibility at all levels, from the individual and corporations, to elected officials, and government.

Ask 7: Accessibility - Committing to seeking to improve accessibility financially and linguistically, as well as physically in venues and facilities. 

Kaye Nicholson,  CEO of Liberate Jersey, told Channel 103 that they have a stronger voice standing together:

"As charities on the island, although we might be supporting specific communities, we do all have shared values and shared goals, so it's an intersectional approach. 

"We saw a huge intake of charities saying that they are behind these values, so it clearly matters to a lot of groups.

"We will be sharing this information so islanders can see who is aligned and committed to the values that we've asked."

Charities that have signed the Key Asks

Sean Pontin, CEO of Disability Charity, Enable Jersey, said:

"We hope that we can help turn good intent into action, that candidates will make a commitment to being a champion, a true ally, and to hold their colleagues and leaders to account, not just some of the time but all of the time."

Voters will go to the polls on 7 June to choose 9 senators, 28 deputies and 12 parish constables to fill the 49 seats in the States Assembly.

Follow Channel 103's election coverage at channel103.com/election