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Building momentum across 10 strategically planned events

Over 2 years, WISE will organise events and carry out actions designed to raise awareness, build knowledge, motivate action and stimulate change. Most events and activities will be organised at local/national levels, aiming to gather insights as to the situation of the most vulnerable women in targeted areas. And, more importantly, to co-develop solutions that respond to their immediate needs.

Two events will be pan-European, fostering exchange and aiming to stimulate an energy solidarity movement. Policy makers and other actors must come to understand that women who manage households on their own ARE the most vulnerable group in Europe.

1/10
Prepare (M01-07)
Create 'National Collectives'
2/10
Prepare (M01-07)
Organise a pan-European event
3/10
Prepare (M01-07)
Host a ‘Translate-a-thon’ to leverage existing content
4/10
Raise awareness (M8-M11)
Host films and  panel discussion events
5/10
Raise awareness (M8-M11)
Recruit and train Energy Solidarity volunteers
6/10
Deliver (M11-M20)
Energy workshops
7/10
Deliver (M11-M20)
Energy Solidarity Days
8/10
Deliver (M11-M20)
Storytelling workshops
9/10
Disseminate (M21-M24)
Host films and  panel discussion events
10/10
Disseminate (M21-M24)
Organise a pan-European event
In each country, WISE Partners will invite other actors to join the energy solidarity movement. Engaging, from the start, women who bring ‘lived-experience expertise’ is a core aim. In turn, we will invite those who need to listen in order to plan and deliver effective interventions. 
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WISE is keen to understand the experiences of diverse women who should be prioritized in a just, clean energy transition. This event will introduce WISE while also creating an opportunity for open exchange about both shared and context-specific challenges. Importantly, WISE will also gather case studies of actions underway.
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Language can be a massive barrier for women in energy vulnerability. On top of diverse mother tongues and national languages, this reflects the gap between how experts and users talk about energy. To be inclusive in helping such women, actors need to offer more information, in more languages.
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The ongoing energy crisis has put energy poverty in the media and on political agendas. Yet few people grasp why women are 3-4 times more likely to be in dire situations. These screenings will reveal why many policies and action fail and shine a spotlight on those that do.
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The concept of ‘energy solidarity’ is core to WISE. Recognising that many barriers make it difficult for vulnerable women to change their situations, WISE aims to engage other locals in helping out. WISE aims to help improve thermal comfort, lower energy bills and reduce social isolation.
Across several workshops, WISE will help vulnerable women learn about energy and how to optimise its use to be more comfortable without higher bills. In the context of a ‘just, clean energy transition’, we will also probe the concept of a ‘right to energy’. The workshops will also aim to build community.
Responding to the reality that many women in energy vulnerability have few options to improve their situations, WISE will offer practical help in numerous ways. From installing weather stripping or reflective foil to negotiating a better tariff or securing subsidies, a WISE team will tailor actions to specific needs.
Most current policies and actions are based on national statistics. Meanwhile, little is known about the daily reality of vulnerable women. WISE will help such women gain confidence in speaking to decision makers, empowering them to be participate in co-developing solutions.
After 20 months of strategic action, WISE will again organise local events to raise awareness of the energy challenges of households led by women. This time, we will provide insights into how boosting energy knowledge and creating community through energy solidarity actions can reduce the vulnerability of women. And speak to policy makers about what women need most.
In its final activity, WISE will again bring together women and actors from across the EU to recap experience, share ideas and look for ways to continue building an energy solidarity movement, focusing on women. We will also make all actors aware of the materials WISE produced and/or translated that can be used through open-access principles.
1/10
Completed
Create ‘National Collectives’

In September and October 2024, each WISE Partner organised a kick-off event to launch the project at the local/national level.  

Giving a dominant voice to women in energy vulnerability as ‘lived-experience experts’, the events brought together a wide range of actors: civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), housing associations, women’s rights groups, energy suppliers, municipal and national policy makers, etc.

The National Collectives were tasked with collecting data on the situation for in the country, factors that contribute to high rates of energy poverty, sharing information on current initiatives and identifying needs. They also created shared information on ongoing actions and created an inventory of available resources. WISE is keen to align with work underway and make sure all actors and leverage limited resources. 

As noted by the Bulgarian National Collective, success of the WISE project requires an accurate assessment of how well the target group — vulnerable women, including young unmarried women, single mothers, elderly women, Roma and other minority women, and migrant women and refugees — are generally aware of their energy consumption patterns and related practical challenges. Often, however, they lack familiarity with the broader concepts of energy poverty and associated policies.

With 10-15 participants in each country, WISE mobilised more than 150 people in its first two months.  

View outputs
2/10
Completed
Pan-European Conference

With 111 participants from 16 EU countries, the WISE Pan-European Conference was a ‘landmark’ event for several reasons. 

  • WISE chose to organise the event in Bulgaria, which consistently ranks among EU countries with the highest levels of energy poverty. Notably, some 70 locals participated and the event was featured in national media.  
  • It was the first conference to focus solely on the plight of women in energy vulnerability, and to explore many relevant topics through the lens of energy and gender.  
  • The presence of women as lived-experience experts helped other actors better understand the challenges they face and where current actions and policies are failing vulnerable women. 
  • A keynote panel drew attention to access to affordable energy as a basic human right, including how existing rights – such as the right to a dignified life – can be used to make the case for eradicating energy poverty. 

Additional content about the Pan-European Conference is under development and will be posted soon. 

3/10
Completed
Translate-a-thon

WISE National Collectives quickly identified language as a significant barrier for large groups of women in energy vulnerability across the EU. At one level, the ‘language’ of energy is often technical and complicated, making it difficult to understand energy bills or speak with suppliers. Among women who have migrated from other countries, lack of access to information in their own mother tongues amplifies the challenges.

To address this gap, WISE devised the ‘Translate-a-thon’ (in the style of a hack-a-thon) as a mechanism to leverage diverse content that exists in English. ’28 Days of Language Solidarity’ seeks engage energy professionals, professional and student translators, and volunteers from all walks of life to bring their linguistic skills to the project. As outlined in the promotional video, people can participate in several ways and choose the type of content they want to translate. Educating women about their energy rights and boosting their know-how with simple energy-saving tips are top priorities.

View outputs
A world map suggesting the wide variety of languages.

Downloads

Draft Agenda

 

4/10
Film screenings & panel discussions

Raising awareness of the reality that women who hold sole responsibility for managing household resources are 3-4 times more likely to be in energy vulnerability is a critical aspect of the WISE project. In April/May 2025, WISE Partners will host public events that feature relevant documentary films and bring together panelists that can explore the underlying causes — and possible solutions.

A second aim of these events is to help local citizens understand how they can become involved in subsequent energy solidarity actions to improve living conditions for such women and reduce their social isolation.

If you would be interested to host a local event during the same period, please contact WISE for more information.

People watching a movie in a cinema.

The Orion Grid amplifies change by bringing together the energy of the bearers of the democratic impulse. It works through educational, consultative, artistic, public and other interventions.