Welcome to Power Hours
We are delighted to welcome you to Power Hours at Young Women’s Trust (YWT). We hope this webpage answers any questions you have.
Young Women’s Trust champions young women aged 18 to 30 on low or no pay. We’re here to create a more equal world of work and raise young women’s incomes.
Power Hours is an online group programme of five consecutive workshops, where young women aged 18-30 facing a similar work-related challenge can connect and support each other.
Each workshop is hosted online via Zoom, you will receive Zoom links by email, so keep a look out. The first workshop is an opportunity to meet other young women and find out more about Power Hours. The rest of the workshops will have a guest speaker at each followed by activities and discussions in small breakout groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect from Power Hours?
It’s important to be clear about what you are signing up for so that you can get the best from this Power Hours programme. Here is some information on what Power Hours is and isn’t.
Power Hours is…
- Five consecutive online workshops for young women (18-30).
- Hosted via Zoom with guest speakers and breakout discussions.
- Focus on financial and work-related challenges.
- A place to share reflections, ideas and experiences.
- A non-judgmental space where you can be yourself.
- A chance to plan and take action to support your own work journey.
Power Hours isn’t…
- A drop-in programme: commitment to attend all workshops is required.
- A counselling service
- An Individual coaching service
- A course with modules and homework
It may become clear once you’ve started Power Hours that this isn’t the right fit for you – and that’s okay. Just mention this to your Power Hours host or the Young Women’s Trust member of staff and they can signpost you to other options if you would like that.
Do I need to prepare anything?
There is no need to prepare anything before the first workshop, but you may want to reflect on what brought you to Power Hours and what you hope to get out of it, so that you can make the most of workshops.
In future workshops your Host may ask you to do some preparation work, such as having a look at written or video content or reflecting on your learning before the next Power Hours workshop.
Who will be at the workshops?
In the workshops there will be a large group of young women in the main room, and you will have the opportunity to breakout into smaller groups. Each programme will have the same Host and YWT support staff member throughout. Hosts will guide you through the workshops and activities, and the YWT support staff member will monitor the chat, organise breakout rooms and share helpful signposting information. They’ll also email you reminders throughout the programme.
As this is a new service and we’re still learning about it, there will be another YWT staff member there who will observe the workshop to note down what worked well and what can be done differently next time.
What will happen during the workshops?
You’ll watch video content from expert speakers and break into smaller groups to reflect, share advice, and work through activities. Our aim is for you to feel safe and comfortable to share your thoughts. There will be different options for how you can communicate in the workshop, and whilst we’d love and encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas and advice, we’ll never ask you to speak in front of a big group if you don’t want to.
We would love for you to have your cameras on during the workshops as it helps create a welcoming environment, but we understand this may not be possible. If you do have your camera off when coming back from a break just let us know that you’re back in the chat.
What do I need to bring?
We recommend that you participate in the workshops on a laptop rather than a phone. We can provide a laptop if you don’t have one through our Accessibility Fund. You can fill in our online form to request help or contact Simone on simone.sealy@youngwomenstrust.org to ask questions about the fund. Please do not share the form with anyone outside of YWT.
What if I have additional access needs?
Any access or support needs mentioned in your sign-up form have been considered. If you have any additional access needs that you think we should be aware of, let the team know and we will make suitable arrangements to support you to participate to the fullest. Email participationteam@youngwomenstrust.org.
Do I need to attend all Power Hours workshops?
We do recommend that you attend all workshops as we believe that through making connections and learning from each other you will gain the knowledge, self-belief and support you need to help you through your work-related challenge. However, we know that’s not always possible so if something comes up last minute and you cannot attend, please let us know so that we can make sure you’re updated about what happened during the workshop you missed and are able to stay on track.
What should I do if I have a concern or would like to make a complaint?
Young Women’s Trust staff are on hand to support you should you need support with any practical or welfare questions. The best way to reach someone is to contact participationteam@youngwomenstrust.org. This way the first available member of the team can respond to you, and we can help as quickly as possible.
What have other participants said about Power Hours?
“It has been so accessible, supportive and well-paced. I’ve felt challenged (in a positive way) but also safe to explore difficult topics.”
“I blocked out all 4 sessions. It was something to look forwards to. I knew it would contribute to something I needed to work on, and it was time I knew was for myself.”
About the Project
Power Hours is a new service being tested by YWT and the people involved in this are:
Jackie Gregory YWT Services Developer
Suzi Copland YWT Director of Services and Participation
Lydia Morgan YWT Head of Participation
Lilian Lemberger-Cooper Participation Officer
