Co-op’s cash boost helps Islanders with autism develop more mobile skills

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Islanders living with autism are hoping to do up and sell or recycle more old mobile phones thanks to a cash boost from the Co-op.

The Society donated £1,500 in 2015 to help Autism Jersey develop its ‘Mobile Phone Enterprise’ initiative, which provides specialist training to islanders with autism on how to clean and restore old mobile phones, and then sell or recycle them.

Autism Jersey’s Social Enterprise Development Manager Caroline Ashworth said: “We wanted to create a sustainable business that would generate meaningful and engaging work experience for our clients.

“Most people with autism have limited opportunities to gain work experience. This enterprise provides our clients with all the skills needed to run a small business, ranging from the specialist training needed to restore the mobile phones, through to packing and selling the devices online or sending them to recycling companies. 

“The clients develop a number of vital social and life skills, as well as building confidence, which in turn improves their wellbeing and for some will provide future employment opportunities.”

The Co-op donation helped fund some new boxes that are being set up as collection points so that Islanders can drop off their old mobile phones.

There’s a big collection bin in the Grand Marché in St Helier until the end of March and it will move to the Grand Marché in St Peter in April and May. 

One of the staff at Autism Jersey together with some of the charity’s clients have been trained to clean and restore different phone makes and models. They’ve already started work on some Blackberries that were donated last year and once they have finished restoring them, they will either be sold online or in the charity’s Boutique on Bath Street.

Mrs Ashworth said: “To develop the initiative we are encouraging islanders who have either upgraded their mobile phone or have a stockpile of old devices, to think about donating them through one of our new collection points. 

“The project not only benefits our clients and the charity, but also has a positive impact on the environment by giving the old devices a new lease of life. The Helping Hands donation will be instrumental in progressing this enterprise.”

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society’s Chief Marketing Officer Greg Yeoman said: “The Society has been helping local charities and community groups for 21 years through our Helping Hands initiative. The aim of the initiative has always been to support organisations and groups to fund activity they would otherwise be unable to undertake.

“When we heard about the potential of the ‘Mobile Phone Enterprise’ scheme to nurture and improve the lives of a number of autistic islanders, we knew it was something that we wanted to get involved with. It’s a fantastic scheme with so many benefits for our local community, so I’m sure islanders will get on board with it too.”

Last year the Society gave away £17,500 and helped 15 charities, four schools and nurseries, two residential homes, a church, a communal area and a social welfare provider.