We were saddened to learn of the recent passing of Simon Jaquet. Simon is remembered fondly by the team from his time with Youth Scotland (then SAYC) and his work in the pioneering peer-led drugs project, Fast Forward. Our heartfelt condolences to Simon’s family and friends.
Thank you to Simon’s family, Ian Boardman and LAYC for allowing us to republish Ian’s touching tribute Simon below. This tribute originally appeared in LAYC’s E-bulletin
A giant in youth work and much more besides.
“It was with great sadness that news broke of Simon Jaquet’s recent passing after a prolonged illness that he fought with such courage and humility, so reflective of his approach to his life and work.
I can’t place when we first met but it would have been in the early days of Canongate Youth Project, maybe in their premises at Blackfriars Street, that had been founded by the Very Rev Graham Forbes who had the wisdom to appoint Simon as its first youth worker.
But it wasn’t till Simon was appointed to set up a new and innovative peer led drugs project established by SAYC (now Youth Scotland) in 1987 that our working relationship and friendship flourished. This unique project, Fast Forward, took a ground breaking and youth work approach to drugs education by supporting young people to assist other young people to make more informed decisions about drugs. I remember Simon, me and a young volunteer Mo Colvin running sessions in youth clubs across the Lothians to pilot workshop materials that went on to create the first Fast Forward Drugs Education pack. A resource that enabled youth workers and/or young people to pick it up and run imaginative workshop sessions that were fun, interactive and designed by young people for young people. It was Simon at his best, creating imaginative ways to meaningfully engage with young people. Fast Forward was up and running and with Simon at the helm it moved from being a SAYC project to a fully fledged and independent voluntary organisation in 1991.
Ten years on and with Fast Forward’s national reputation well established it was no surprise when Simon was appointed as Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, following the previous merger of SSCVYO and SCEC, bringing the voluntary and statutory youth work sectors together for the first time at a National level. It was not an easy ask but one he did hugely successfully as he carefully overcame the various and inevitable hurdles that stood in his way. It was an exciting and challenging time for youth work in Scotland and Simon remained at it’s centre, cajoling Scottish Government, local authorities and the voluntary sector to ‘up their game’ to better support quality youth work. It was a role he embraced and the foundations he laid has ensured that YouthLink Scotland continues to play that crucial role to this day.
By 2004 Simon decided to call it a day at YouthLink Scotland and embark on a solo career when he set up his consultancy business drawing on his years of experience. With such an impressive CV clients weren’t hard to find and he was soon undertaking work across the UK. But he never forgot his youth work roots in Edinburgh. When LAYC, along with other agencies, established the EYWC (Edinburgh Youth Work Consortium) in the mid 2000’s to bring together the city’s youth work sectors, Simon was a shoe in as it’s volunteer chair. Seminars, training events, major conferences, youth work fairs and groundbreaking research all followed over the years led by Simon often adorning his latest embroidered waistcoat! Through his time EYWC and Edinburgh Council created a series of joint youth work strategies that helped shaped youth work practices, priorities and provision, another innovatory tick in Simon’s box.
Sadly his health took it’s toll and eventually he had to step away from playing an active role. But what a youth work legacy he has left us with. A passion for the voice of young people, a commitment to delivering the best youth work possible and a believe that collaboration beats competition every time.
Others will remember Simon for his musical talent and his many folk bands from Caedmon to Dave’s New Bike or his time working in his beloved Botswana and his endearing and enduring love for his friends and family.
Me, I’ll just miss the ‘the specky bugger’ who adopted Edinburgh and Scotland as his home and who enriched it and us in so many ways. I was made all the better for knowing Simon and so was youth work across this land.”
– Ian Boardman
Ex-Youth work colleague & mate