Brightly (formerly known as Brig-y-Don Children’s Charity) is a longstanding, small, independent Jersey charity that awards grants to children and young people from birth to 25 years who are either in the care of, or leaving the care of the Government of Jersey, as well as others who are being supported by Children’s Services or suffering adversity and are in need.

Many care-experienced children and young people have poor self-esteem and significantly, less developed social skills then their counterparts in the wider population, as well as education and knowledge gaps, due to disrupted young lives and multiple placements. We seek to provide them with the kind of opportunities and support their peers, living in a stable family environment, may well take for granted, things like a place at a nursery school, some new clothes, help with setting up their first home, driving lessons, dentist, doctors, laptops, education grants etc.

The charity does not support applications for goods or services that are included in grants or benefits from the Government of Jersey.

Our support makes a real difference to the life experiences of children and young people who are in need. There are also less obvious but equally important benefits that result from our work, such as greater social inclusion, financial independence, personal growth and development and less reliance on benefit systems.

All money raised by Brightly either stays in Jersey for the benefit of Island residents or can be applied in cases where local children and young people have to be cared for off-island.

In 2022, as well as continuing to undertake our current remit (to financially support care experienced children and young people), we are piloting a new initiative Home-Start Jersey. The new Home-Start Jersey service will be available to provide home-visiting support to three specific target groups:
• care leavers aged 16-25;
• families with pre-school children, where a parent is care experienced; and
• families with pre-school children, where a child or a parent is experiencing poor health.
For further information about Home-Start Jersey please visit our website www.brightly.je or https://www.home-start.org.uk/