The Jersey Funds Association (JFA) is supporting an innovative leadership and entrepreneurship programme, organised through the Jersey College Foundation, that aims to foster female talent from across the globe.

As the Platinum sponsor of a networking event this summer, the JFA is supporting this year’s LEAP Jersey programme which offers female students aged between 14 and 18 the opportunity to develop their business acumen before pitching for funding to finance a social enterprise project.

The event forms part of a 10-day programme, during which participants will receive advice from a variety of mentors and experts ahead of putting their ideas to a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style panel of judges where the winning idea will be awarded £2,000.

Held on 19 July at the Radisson Blu Waterfront hotel, the networking event will involve more than 30 local companies and celebrate the participants, who hail from countries including Australia, China, Japan, Rwanda and the USA. It will also give all interested parties an opportunity to learn more about the programme, the participants’ various project ideas, network and drive the cause of increased female leadership and entrepreneurship.

Commenting, Michael Johnson, Chair of the JFA, said: “Championing young female entrepreneurs is vital for our industry, for Jersey and for business more widely, to ensure we a have diverse and expert talent pool in the future. It is an honour to be able to support a programme aimed at nurturing the skills needed to be a female leader of tomorrow.”

Chair of the JFA’s ESG sub-committee, Tom Powell, added: “This programme offers a fantastic opportunity to develop business, entrepreneurial and leadership skills as well as to experience a real-life business pitch scenario. We are delighted to be able to support so many budding business leaders from home and further afield to develop such skills.”

More information, including on how to register to take part, can be found here.