My name is Jaime Boylan and I am standing for the position of Deputy of St Saviour No 2 district as a Reform Jersey candidate. My childhood was spent at Troy Court and I went to St Marks Primary School, followed by St Luke’s, Beaulieu and Hautlieu schools.
I am the mother of Bonnie who is 4 and attends St Luke’s school. I earn my living currently as a vocal and performance coach and therapist. I run my business coaching children and adults of all ages and abilities on a daily basis.
I am a passionate believer in the resilience of young people in jersey and believe that we as an island could do so much more for our children. There are children on this island facing challenges that others could not comprehend. I believe that all children should be supported and empowered but our education system is struggling and our children suffer. Teachers and support staff are unsupported and underfunded. They are fighting a continual battle to be heard. If elected, I would propose a major overhaul of our education system and the staff within it so that our children have every possible support to reach their goals.
The cost of living in Jersey means that many families struggle to pay rent, meet the bills or even do the weekly shop. I know this from first-hand experience. I am a single mother and like every parent, I want to provide a comfortable life for my daughter but sometimes it’s really hard. An unexpected bill or a doctor’s appointment can throw everything off for the whole month. There has been a huge increase for charities which support families in need. The island now has a need for food banks and apps that allow people to collect food at the end of the day so families are fed. This can only be countered by better wages be it the minimum wage or the start of the living wage.
The growth of zero hour contracts and jobs without any kind of benefits have played a massive part in this. One month you have 30 hours, the next nothing. This variable income means workers cannot budget properly, save or even sign leases. It’s impossible to live decently without stress levels, anxiety and depression skyrocketing.
This, in turn, results in mental health services at bursting point. Waiting lists are months long and staff have unimaginable workloads. Children and adults are more anxious/ depressed now than ever before and it affects every aspect of their lives. Mental health issues can appear in anyone. It doesn’t decide by gender, age, race or nationality. We need to be communicating with all charities and services and pooling resources. Communication lines need to be open between all departments so we are better able to provide help quickly and effectively without causing unnecessary suffering to those in need of support.