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From being more creative with empty retail spaces to introducing Montessori schools…this yoga teacher might be dedicated to brightening islanders’ 'namas-day,' but is full of ideas to improve Jersey’s whole future.
Lisa McCabe is a Yoga Medicine Therapeutic Specialist and founder of OmShanti Yoga Living and Optimal Health and Wellbeing.
Having just launched Jersey’s first Yoga Alliance-accredited 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training course, Lisa took some time out to meditate on the five things she would change about the island...
Having been involved in the Health and Wellbeing industry for some time, our services are often given free of charge in the hope we will gain business from these offerings.
However, many of my peers and myself included have invested thousands in training to become knowledgeable in our field.
Pictured: "Health and Wellbeing is also a well-deserving industry whose services don’t necessarily come for free particularly now in times where people need it most."
I would like to see a greater understanding for this and an acknowledgement that at certain times health and wellbeing is also a well-deserving industry whose services don’t necessarily come for free particularly now in times where people need it most.
I would appreciate greater ease to use empty premises as ‘pop-ups’ for events and businesses.
In the past, I have contacted property agencies to see if I could rent premises on an hourly basis to run one-off yoga classes. Not only does it attract people to the property, it also offers a quirky experience.
Pictured: "In the past, I have contacted property agencies to see if I could rent premises on an hourly basis to run one off yoga classes. Not only does it attract people to the property it also offers a quirky experience."
This is really common in the Netherlands and often initiated by property agents as a way of promoting empty real estate.
Having this as an option would be great for the local arts community, cooking demos, one day events and businesses who can’t afford to enter into lengthy leases.
I have seen so many businesses go out of business because they are unable to afford rental in the town centre.
Now more than ever we need to support businesses in order for them to survive.
Pictured: "Now more than ever we need to support businesses in order for them to survive."
It would be great to see a cap on rental and possibly a grant scheme that could help businesses in their first year of trading to allow them to actually make a headstart.
We have lost so many lovely shops and cafés because of this.
We are very lucky to have a wide choice of schools in Jersey however; our population is increasing and sadly the number of schools isn’t.
On-island, we have a great choice of creative play nurseries, but after this there is nowhere for children to go to carry on this experience. Montessori schools are amazing for children who lean to being more creative rather than academic and I think to have this option would be amazing.
Pictured: "We have a great choice of creative play nurseries however, after this there is nowhere for children to go to carry on this experience."
A couple of people have tried to do this, but have been unsuccessful. It would be great if they had more support from the Education Minister to follow through on what could be a great addition to Jersey’s education system.
My memories of my childhood in Jersey are full of adventure - many of the things I did are still available and on our doorstep, such as going to the beach, but a big part of my weekends was taken up with visiting the Fort and in my summer holidays going to the ‘Summer Time Special’. It felt as though we were out all the time.
I see a lot of negative press regarding the younger generation and, as much as they can still visit the beach etc, times have changed and so have their interests with the evolution of technology.
Pictured: "My memories of my childhood in Jersey are full of adventure - many of the things I did are still available and on our doorstep."
It would be great for them to have somewhere to go that could potentially light a spark or interest outside of school and teach them about other industries within the island, to have an interactive unique experience each time.
This could be an opportunity for local businesses to get involved through community projects too.
