The Guernsey Community Foundation wants to team up with local charities to address some of the issues identified in its Quality of Life Report.
Earlier this year the Foundation published the Guernsey Quality of Life Report 2025, which used data from a wide range of sources, including a bespoke community survey, to paint a detailed picture of life on the Island. The Report highlighted multiple areas of need.
Now, as the Foundation considers how to act on the Report’s findings, it wants to involve the rest of the third sector. The Foundation hopes to partner with charities to work on projects intended to meet a need, address a problem, or soften the effects of an issue identified in the Report.
The Foundation’s Chief Executive, Jim Roberts, said: “Charities are specialists in their respective fields and know exactly what needs to be done to make things better for people. But a lack of time or money – and sometimes a lack of confidence or experience – can prevent them from acting. And that’s where the Foundation might be able to help.
“For example, perhaps charities want to pitch an idea to the States, draft a complex new policy, seek funding for a pilot project, or gather evidence to prove a need. Maybe they want to liaise with multiple stakeholders, pursue corporate sponsorships, or collect data from other jurisdictions. It could be that they want to trial a new service but they need support from government.
“We don’t have all the answers, or a blank cheque book, but we’d love to talk to third sector professionals about their big ideas and the obstacles in their way. And if we can help, we will.”
The Foundation anticipates taking three or four of these collaborative, ‘task-and-finish’ projects while progressing its next major piece of work. “Our work on homelessness unfolded over several years,” said the Foundation’s Chair, Sir Richard Collas (pictured). “The Quality of Life Report is helping us decide what we’ll focus on next, and alongside that we’d like to work with charities to address some of the needs identified in the Report.”
Charities interested in working with the Foundation should email Mr Roberts on [email protected] with a brief description of what they would like to do, what’s preventing them from doing it, and how it would benefit Islanders.
