Charity Spotlight is a weekly series dedicated to showcasing the incredible work of Jersey’s charities – from grassroots initiatives to island-wide movements, we’ll be sharing the stories of the people working tirelessly to support those in need and the importance of leadership in guiding that work.

Each week, Express hears from a charity leader on their biggest challenges and successes, what leadership and wellbeing truly mean in the third sector, and their hopes for the future.

Next up is Brighter Futures – a charity dedicated to supporting children, young people, and families in Jersey.

The charity’s mission is to enable child development as well as parent, carer and child wellbeing by offering a range of personal development, educational and learning programmes.

Express caught up with Brighter Futures manager Lauren Maggs about what it is like to lead the charity, and her hopes for the future…

The most rewarding part of our work is…

Seeing the transformation in families we support.

Watching confidence grow, relationships rebuild, and individuals regain control of their lives is at the heart of what we do.

Those moments – when someone stands taller, speaks up, or believes in themselves again – are why Brighter Futures exists.

A common misconception about what we do is…

That we’re a children’s charity. In reality, we’re a family charity.

We support the whole unit – parents, carers, and children – because lasting change only happens when everyone is supported together, not in isolation.

Families don’t exist in parts, and neither should the help they receive.

Our charity wouldn’t exist without…

Our incredible team – from crèche and coordinators to fundraisers and leadership. Everyone plays a part.

Like a car, we have an engine (frontline staff), wheels (funding team), and a satnav (leaders steering the way).

Every part matters, working in sync to keep families moving toward stability and fulfilment.

The biggest shift in the charity sector over the past decade has been…

The demand has surged, but funding hasn’t kept up.

Needs are more complex, families face bigger pressures, and the cost of standing still is rising.

Meanwhile, funding is shorter-term and more restricted.

That imbalance – between expectation and resource – is the biggest ongoing challenge we face.

In five years, I hope our charity will…

Be reaching more families with a wider range of programmes, backed by stable, sustainable Government funding.

We want to remain independent and rooted in our values, while being able to influence broader policy.

Our ambition is steady growth that’s led by community need, not driven by funding cycles.

A great leader in the charity sector needs to be…

Resilient, flexible, and extremely people focused.

You need the strength to hold steady when funding is uncertain, services are stretched, and decisions are tough.

But you also need the agility to adapt an to shift plans, respond to need, and stay grounded in the reality of those you support.

Most of all, a great leader keeps sight of the mission, even when the path isn’t straight.

The best piece of leadership advice I ever received was…

“Don’t try to do it all. Build the right team and trust them to carry the load with you.”

It’s simple but powerful.

Leadership isn’t about being everywhere – it’s knowing when to lead from the front, when to support from behind, and when to get out of the way.

The most important quality in a team is…

Genuine compassion backed by deep understanding.

It’s about showing up, listening fully, and responding with empathy – not pity.

When teams work from a place of care and shared values, they create safe, strong spaces for the families we support, and for one another too.

That’s what holds everything together.

If I could change one thing about how charities are run, it would be…

We’d stop treating them like underfunded businesses and start recognising them as essential public services. What we do isn’t extra – it’s vital.

Charities plug gaps, catch people falling through the cracks, and hold communities together.

It’s time the sector was funded, respected, and supported like the infrastructure it is.

The most unexpected thing about working in the charity sector is…

Just how collaborative it is.

In one recent month, we worked with over 100 agencies to support 153 families – and 63% of these agencies came from other charities.

It proves this isn’t solo work.

Change happens when organisations coordinate, share knowledge, and put families above silos or logos.