by Grace Tremeer
As part of my Activities Week at school, I was fortunate to do work experience at the States Greffe! I got to experience a variety of Greffe and Government departments and it really opened my eyes to the jobs and people involved in every decision.
On Monday specifically, I was able to spend the day with the External Relations team, attending multiple engagements, including a conference about the financial and trade impacts of a second Trump presidency and meetings with the Qatar Ambassador. At the end of the day, I met with Deputy Ian Gorst, Minister for External Relations, and had the opportunity to sit in on his 'questions without notice' preparation meeting, getting ready for the States Sitting the following day.
Additionally, on Wednesday I was privileged to meet with Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, the Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, and got to speak with her about her working life and the experiences that led to her getting involved in politics. Later, I met with her team who talked me through their roles and the work they are currently doing.
Throughout the week I was also able to meet with legislative drafters, who write and modify the very laws that we live by daily and which affect all of us. I learnt so much about the process of bringing a law into existence and the many stages that drafters have to go through. I especially found it fascinating how specific the language had to be in each law and the complexities involved in making sure that it was neither too broad nor too exclusive. I also met Research and Project Officers as well as Government Policy Officers, all of whom are involved in helping the Assembly make positive change a reality. I also enjoyed learning about the current projects of Scrutiny Panel Officers and even observed a private meeting with the Economic and International Affairs Panel which was fascinating!
On multiple occasions, I was able to sit in the States Chamber for much of the Assembly's Meeting. I really enjoyed watching the processes and protocol that were followed throughout, and how the politicians engaged with each other. In particular, I loved watching the 'questions without notice' put to the Minister for External Relations, as it was great to see both sides of it - the preparation the day before and the result. The debates I listened to were incredibly interesting and, once again, it was eye-opening listening to different perspectives on each proposition and the details considered for every decision.
I met many more people during my week of work experience at the States Greffe but this is just a brief overview of the amazing time I spent there. Like I said, prior to this experience I really had no idea about the breadth and variety of job opportunities within politics and the number of people it takes to keep the island moving. I spent time with the Education and Outreach team, especially talking about the new Jersey Youth Assembly, and I am really encouraged by their passion to increase awareness about politics on the island. People often have negative ideas when it comes to politics, but I think it is forgotten that politics is what keeps our Island running and functioning.
A definite highlight for me was the time I got to spend with the External Relations team. With international relations being a key area of interest for me, I loved learning more about what they do as a department and about current international events or issues that are facing our Island. I was also privileged to spend time with Sir Philip Bailhache who gave me a tour around the Royal court and explained some of the legal processes used today. I was able to sit in on some of the court's cases at the beginning of the day which I enjoyed immensely.
I feel as though my time at the States Greffe taught me a lot about what it is like to work for the States Assembly and the Government of Jersey, and it showed me that there is a world of opportunities out there for me, whether I decide I want to be more vocal about my opinions and be a more public figure, or would prefer to be behind the scenes, working on research, policy, or law drafting. I want to thank everyone who I met during my week at the States Greffe for taking time to speak to me about their roles and the work they are currently doing. I would encourage everyone to learn more about the political system in Jersey and the different departments involved, there is certainly more to it than I initially thought!