National Youth Forum: Giving young voices a say on the UK’s long-term plans for nuclear waste management
A youth engagement initiative has given young people the chance to share their views on the UK’s plans for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF), the safe, secure, and long-term solution for the most hazardous radioactive waste. This has been vital in sparking lively and constructive discussions about the country’s long-term approach to managing nuclear waste. Constructing a GDF will provide an internationally recognised safe and permanent disposal solution for the UK’s most hazardous radioactive waste.
Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), working in partnership with Arup and The Young Foundation, established the National Youth Forum on Geological Disposal to bring fresh perspectives to this complex issue. By involving young people and increasing their understanding of GDF, NWS will listen and learn from their valuable insight and views.
Over the past year, the partnership has worked with a group of 12 young people who formed the first National Youth Forum.
Ali Beard, NWS Siting and Communities Project Manager, who led the Forum said:
“It’s been a pleasure to support our first Youth Forum. Bringing young people into the project to hear their views and inform our approach is invaluable to us and supports the development and skills of these talented young people.
“For them to have gone from knowing nothing about geological disposal to being able to present to an international audience of industry professionals is exceptional.”
The forum began by asking a simple but important question: “What do young people know, and what questions do they have, about nuclear waste and GDF?” From there, participants explored different perspectives; from the sceptical community member to the future resident living near a facility. This approach opened valuable conversations about engagement, future-proofing, and contingency planning.
Activities over the course of the forum were wide-ranging. Highlights included a presentation to international stakeholders, including representatives from Japan, as part of a Nuclear Energy Agency webinar on youth engagement in GDF siting processes worldwide.
Anton Schultz, Social Value Delivery Manager at Arup, said:
“This pilot marks an important step toward building inclusive, representative approaches to youth engagement and bringing future generations’ perspectives into the UK’s Geological Disposal Facility programme. Arup is proud to collaborate with NWS, The Young Foundation, and the young people themselves in shaping the National Youth Forum. We’re excited to continue supporting its evolution”.
Siân Whyte, Interim Co-Director of Research at The Young Foundation, said:
“We know that the way to navigate complex, long-term challenges is to be more open, transparent and involving of the people for whom those challenges do – or will – directly affect. The rising engagement and involvement of young people in this issue through the National Youth Forum is an important step in building a more participatory approach to a critical national issue.”
The ideas generated by the National Youth Forum will continue to play an important role in shaping the development of the GDF and ensuring that future generations have a voice in decisions that affect them.
