Jersey College for Girls and Victoria College are deeply honoured to have been jointly awarded the Liberate Special Award for the work both Colleges have done to reduce the incidents of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and to build positive and collaborative relationships across their student bodies.
The Liberate Special Award is presented for “an extraordinary and significant piece of work in the field of diversity, inclusion, fairness, equality, respect or acceptance” as Vic Tanner-Davy, Liberate’s CEO, explained.
“The work done by JCG and Victoria College jointly to reduce the incidence of violence against women and girls is just such a project,” he added. “The way in which the two schools responded to the problem has been exemplary. It would have been so easy to deny the problem or park it, but the leadership team, staff and students instead tackled it head on, and within two years have become a beacon of outstanding practice through their own initiatives and engagement with the wider island conversation. There was no doubt in our minds that this work needed special recognition as an example of what can be done through dedication and determination – something which the whole island needs to learn from in tackling this issue.”
A joint Victoria College and Jersey College for Girls Sixth Form Working Party was established in 2021 to build positive, respectful and purposeful relationships between VCJ and JCG. With a limited amount of staff oversight, they have conceived, planned and implemented a number of events and projects that have brought students together, including the production of a joint Charter of Respect, running joint events for Year 7 and Year 8 students, engaging in joint lessons within the PSHE curriculum and inviting one another to school assemblies to better understand the history, culture, ethos and processes across the two schools.
Students from both Victoria College and JCG were involved in the work of the Taskforce on Violence Against Women and Girls, working to construct a student survey that led to real insight from young people across Jersey on this issue. The students also attended the launch of the Taskforce Report and have previously presented at other key events such as Freeda’s International Women’s Day breakfast events over the past two years.
In her speech at the award ceremony on Friday 2nd February, Jemimah, JCG’s IDEA Prefect, said: “This holds a special place in all our hearts as it is a symbol of our collective commitment to addressing the critical issue of violence against women and girls.”
She added, “Violence against women and girls is an urgent and pervasive issue that demands our unwavering attention and action. It is something which affects individuals and communities worldwide, regardless of age, race, or socio-economic status. Together we have embarked on a mission to raise awareness, promote education and advocate for systemic change. We are deeply grateful to Liberate, the organisers of this event for shining a spotlight on the importance of addressing issues surrounding equality, diversity, and inclusion. To the survivors of violence, your courage and resilience inspires us all. Your voices matter and your stories empower us to continue our work and our fight for change. As we all stand here tonight, let me reaffirm our collective resolve to champion equality and justice for all.”
Mrs Danielle Mynes, English Teacher and Interim Head of PSHE, added: “We will continue to champion our students’ voices and work to end all forms of violence against women and girls. Our students across both Colleges have shown that VAWG can no longer be the wallpaper to women’s and girls’ lives. This award recognises how both schools have prioritised respect, inclusion, and equality, and I feel so proud and privileged to work alongside such inspiring young people.”
Headteacher of Victoria College, Dr Gareth Hughes said: “We are so enormously proud that students from Victoria College and JCG were recognised for their outstanding collaborative work to develop a culture of positive student relationships and mutual respect, and actively support and champion the work of the VAWG Taskforce in shining a light on, and providing recommendations to address, the issue of violence against women and girls in Jersey. This shows how important student voice and action is to drive forward positive change, be empowered to seek solutions, and to pave the way for our current and future students to be a part of a society that values each and every individual.”