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Will I be able to keep working?

I stopped working for my previous employer early on in the States term, because there was a lot of overlap between my States’ responsibilities and my other work, and I didn’t want to run into any conflicts of interest. That’s one thing you might need to take into account.

If you currently work for the States, as a civil servant or other public sector employee, you will be obliged to resign from your employed role as soon as you are elected.

But otherwise, it’s really down to you. A fair number of Deputies have continued to work on a part-time basis in their previous professional role, throughout their time in the States. I’d recommend talking to them about how they manage it.

I think a commitment of about 10 hours per week tends to be the maximum most people can fit in, but of course it varies enormously, depending on what kind of Committee work you have, how flexibly your employer is prepared to let you work, and so on.

If you’re only planning on doing one or two terms as a Deputy, it’s a great idea to keep in touch with your professional world. It may even give you some more security in terms of what happens afterwards, which can help you have the courage to take this step.

Continuing to work part-time doesn’t mean you’re any less committed to your role as a States Member – the working-age Deputies who’ve done so this term are also among the most committed and hard-working politicians we’re lucky to have.

Go back to Getting Into Guernsey Politics
Go back to Section 1.1: Making the Decision
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Guernsey’s iconic women of the future?

Thank you for nominating a young woman or girl for our future iconic Guernsey women campaign to celebrate International Women’s Day!

Nominations close on Sunday 6 March at 17.00.

Please fill in the details below.

miriam-makeba-SA

Miriam Makeba - South Africa

Nominated by: Christine James

Zenzile Miriam Makeba (1932 to 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, United Nations goodwill ambassador, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa. In 2020 she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 women of the century. 

South Africa is ranked 12th in the world for percentage of women in national parliament: 45.8% (source: data.ipu.org) 

Are you from South Africa? Please email hello@womeninpubliclife.gg if there is a social or cultural group for people from South Africa in Guernsey.

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The original image “The Hague Jazz 2008 – Miriam Makeba” by Haags Uitburo is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. 

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Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand

Nominated by: Martin Lock

Jacinda Ardern (born 1980) has served as prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. In 2019, she led the country through the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, rapidly introducing strict gun laws in response, and throughout 2020 she directed the country’s widely praised response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ardern was the world’s second elected head of government to give birth in office when her daughter was born in 2018. ‘An inspiring Prime Minister who brought a nation together with true leadership, empathy and compassion.’

New Zealand is ranked 4th in the world for percentage of women in national parliament: 48.3% (source: data.ipu.org) 

Other iconic women: Dame Whina Cooper, nominated by Claire Fisher, and Kate Sheppard, nominated by Anna Cooper.

Are you from New Zealand? You may be interested in joining the ANZACs in Guernsey Facebook group

Want to learn more about public office vacancies in Guernsey? 

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