01/04/2026
What an incredible event the inaugral Vital Skills Summit was yesterday. A room filled with engaged professionals. It was inspiring to hear conversations across sectors happening. It truly was Different Roles. Different Pressures. Shared Responsibilities.
Yesterday was not 'a conference' it was a summit. Built around four principles. Responsibility. Kindness. Learning. Community.
Thank you to everyone who attended, for taking a day out of your busy schedules and for making time for learning.
I do need to take this opportunity to say that this day would not have been what it was without:
Centre for Professional Development School of Education Durham University who incredibly guided the summit, helped develop the ideas and partnered with us on this journey. The knowledge and support that has been given has been incredible and has allowed the summit to push beyond the bar it originally set.
Prof. Carlene Firmin MBE - Thank you! Your approach, your knowledge, your ability to challenge every person in the room with three simple questions.
•What do young people impacted by these issues in Jersey need?
•Which contexts are influencing young people’s safety in Jersey?
•Who could be safeguarding young people? What is getting in the way?
Prof. Catherine Reading - Your support has been amazing. Your knowledge and challenges on AI was eye opening in a world embracing this new technology, and learning how to grasp the safeguards needed moving forward. Your question "where responsibility sits when the output looks plausible, helpful and fast?" is going to stay with us and definitely influence policy around AI usage. Also your incredible facilitation throughout the day, Thank you!
Rebecca Sherrington - Thank you for your talk opening the door to what the Jersey Care Commission does, how it works and the reminder that the carrot is much better than the stick!
Dr Julie Luscombe/ People Like Me Coaching and Training Consultancy - a presentation that landed with everyone, your keynote on burnout was inspiring, honest, brutal and challenging. Thank you for talking about the 'hard thing' that society is scared about.
Geoff Benning - Thank you for bringing Kindess to the forefront and a reminder that "Kindness under pressure *is* what strength looks like".
The CPD Group for your incredible support and accrediting our event for 8 hours of CPD.
Nollaig Markham for all your help with planning the venue and event management.
Yesterday was just the start. The Vital Skills Summit is not just a one off. The plan, to challenge the concepts that people are not always ready to challenge.
So here is a promise: The Vital Skills Summit will keep helping professionals across different sectors confront their pressures by leading in learning and communication.
Watch out for dates on our next Vital Skills Summit, coming this autumn. The topic... Mental Health
Different Roles. Different Experiences. Shared Responsibility.