Online Workshop
5.00-6.45pm, Tuesday 12th July 2022

Introduction

What do you think are the most important energy issues affecting young people, both today and in the future? Sign-up below to take part in an online collaborative workshop and share your ideas, experiences, and visions for the future.

Energy is critical for many aspects of our lives. We need energy to heat our homes, to connect to the internet, and to give us access to water where we live. This is why energy is often called an essential service.

Young people face many urgent issues that the energy sector must address, such as rising energy bills and living costs and tackling climate change. However, young people are underrepresented when it comes to making decisions about energy in Great Britain. We think that must change. We want to ensure that you are involved in making decisions that affect your future. But we need your help.

About the workshop

Sustainability First, a charity and research organisation, in partnership with Ofgem, Great Britain’s independent energy regulator, invites you to join an online workshop to explore experiences, priorities, and concerns around energy, and discuss how young people like yourself could help Ofgem shape energy decision making in the future.

We would like to hear from young people (aged 18-25) and invite you to share your thoughts and experiences of what energy means to you. We are particularly keen to hear from you if you feel that your experiences aren't currently represented. Decision-making needs to be informed by a diversity of views and perspectives, in order to meet everyone’s needs.

This workshop will be an opportunity to learn more about energy and help shape the agenda of Great Britain’s regulator of this essential service. 

Opportunities

Through the workshop, you will have opportunities to:

• • Learn about energy in Great Britain – how our energy system works and some of the main issues and opportunities for the future of energy
  • Hear from, ask questions to, and collaborate with energy professionals
  • Contribute your ideas and experiences about energy
  • Shape Ofgem’s thinking on how young people could input into energy decision making
  • Meet, discuss, and share ideas with other young people
  • Develop key skills including dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy

You will also be able to find out about opportunities for joining an online forum of young people inputting into decision-making in energy. Find out more about the Sustainable Futures Energy Forum.

Workshop Aims and Expectations

The aim of the workshop is to identify some of the priority issues and areas that Ofgem could explore in more detail through ongoing engagement with young people.

After the workshop, we will write a summary of the ideas and issues identified through the workshop discussions. Ofgem will later share how the workshop findings are informing their ongoing engagement with young people. Please note that because this is a short, pilot project, only some of the many ideas to emerge from the workshop will be able to be taken forward as part of that.

Key Workshop Information

Time committment: The online workshop will be 1 hr 45 minutes (including a break), early evening in July. Relevant information and DIY activities will also be shared with you beforehand - these will introduce some of the key issues and ideas explored.

When: the workshop will take place on Tuesday 12th July 2022, 5.00 – 6.45pm.
Information and DIY activities will be shared approximately one week before the workshop. To get the most out of the workshop, we strongly encourage reading the information before joining the session.

Who: The workshop is aimed at 18 – 25-year-olds living in England, Scotland, and Wales. You don’t need any prior knowledge of the energy sector.

Cost: Free

Workshop Materials

Here are some background materials and information for everyone joining the workshop. We suggest you look at these beforehand, as we hope they will help you get the most out of the workshop. These introduce our energy system for gas and electricity in Great Britain. 

We appreciate there is a lot of information in there, but don't worry - you don't need to remember it! It's just for reference and to help you think about the key workshop questions:

• What do you like about energy and want to keep for, or see in, the future?
  
• What are you worried or concerned about energy and want to change in the future?
• What outcomes do you want from the energy sector, and what issues would you like Ofgem to explore further with young people? 

The workshop will be held on Zoom and during the workshop, we will be using a couple of online collaborative platforms: EasyRetro and Slido. Click the link below for a 'how to' guide for these two platforms. We recommend giving them a quick test before the workshop if you haven't used them before. 

If you have any questions about the workshop materials, please get in touch on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Project partner