The Youth Council – One Year On

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since the launch of our Youth Council. What started as a small group of passionate, driven young people eager to make a difference has now evolved into a dynamic platform that amplifies youth voices, drives meaningful change, and fosters a future where young people are part of decision-making.

As we’re celebrating this milestone, I wanted to reflect on the objectives of our first Youth Council cohort, the priorities that guided our work and some of the key successes we’ve achieved in the past year – as well as my personal journey being part of this community of change-makers.

The Youth Council’s Mission

The council was created with a simple mandate: to give young people a voice and a seat at the table. We wanted to ensure that the values and issues that matter most to today’s youth were given the attention they deserve by the decision-makers shaping our business.

We’re an independent voice, composed of a range of different backgrounds from finance and tech to procurement and business solutions, coming together to inject a new way of thinking into Liberty Global. By sharing our perspectives and collaborating with leadership, we’ve contributed fresh ideas and a greater diversity of thought.

Our generation now makes up 25 percent of the global population. Entire industries are trying to understand our interests and perspectives, with estimates suggesting our spending power is expected to grow to $12 trillion USD by 2030. We also know that diversity is a crucial driver for innovation, from boosting productivity to pursuing new markets and improving products.

This past year, we focused on three key areas, where providing our generation’s insights would be most relevant to our business strategy, including:

• How to navigate changing market conditions whilst identifying new revenue opportunities, so that Liberty Global remains agile and responsive to emerging trends and shifting consumer demands.
• People and Planet, driving our sustainability efforts and promoting social responsibility to help the company create a positive impact on society and the environment.
• Talent and Culture, including helping to foster a dynamic talent pipeline and nurture an inclusive, forward-thinking workplace that embraces innovation, collaboration, and growth.

We operated as a “next-gen consultancy,” acting as an insights service provider to the Liberty Global footprint, with an emphasis on driving impact in these core areas.

Celebrating our achievements one year in

We covered a lot of ground in year one, building the council from the ground up. It’s been an exciting and productive year, and I’m proud to highlight some of our key successes.

Establishing the Youth Panel: In March, we launched Liberty Global’s first Youth Panel, made up of over 165 members, with 70 percent aged 35 and below. The panel acted as a community of contributors for research, focus groups and ideations and it’s already played a leading role with their insights influencing the initiatives we decided to tackle.

Encouraging Sustainable Travel: How did Liberty Global’s younger generation feel about green commuting and what was standing in their way of adopting a more sustainable way to travel? Using the Youth Panel’s input, we gained a deep understanding of attitudes, behaviours, and needs related to boosting sustainable travel within the company. And using these insights, we developed a proof-of-concept sustainable travel solution, introducing a railcard to promote eco-friendly commuting options. We also developed a communications campaign informing colleagues about how to transition to more sustainable travel habits.

Understanding the Future of Work: We conducted in-depth research that included the youth panel, interviews with key internal and external leaders and immersive “office safaris” to better understand evolving workplace trends, what employees need for a productive workplace, and the improvements the company can make in this space. This research helped shaped current and future pilots, such as a car-pooling trial, with further recommendations made to leadership.

Looking ahead to the next generation of the Youth Council

Taking part in the Youth Council has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career to date. I’ve learned so much, not just about the issues facing youth today, but also about the importance of collaboration and the value of diverse perspectives in solving complex problems. One of the key takeaways has been how empowering it is to share an opinion and contribute meaningfully to decision-making, whilst also learning to drive incremental change. It’s been an honour to work alongside such brilliant young leaders, and I’m excited for the continued growth of this community.

Early next year, we will be welcoming a new group of youth leaders to the council, who will build on the foundation we’ve laid, pushing forward with new ideas, energy, and perspectives. I’m confident this group will continue the incredible work we’ve started, amplifying youth voices, advocating for our demographic’s priorities, and fostering an environment where all generations connect, collaborate and create together.