The cost of living crisis and fuel poverty remains high on everyone’s agenda, and community investment professionals in many of our networks want to know how best to support their residents at the moment.

We at the Centre have been speaking to National Energy Action (NEA) to understand how their training courses can benefit housing association staff at this time. NEA provide a range of training courses and national qualifications covering key issues associated with fuel poverty, fuel debt, affordable warmth, and practical energy efficiency advice.

We recommend looking into their courses and upskilling yourselves and your colleagues, so you can provide your residents with the support they need.

England and Wales

For housing associations based in England and Wales, please visit this link to see a list of courses that NEA offer.

Fully-funded places are currently available on these courses and webinars, making them free for housing association staff and frontline staff who regularly provide advice to those at risk of/in fuel poverty:

Webinars

– Changing Energy-Related Behaviour

– Understanding Fuel Poverty and Health: Impacts on Mental Health 

– Introduction to Domestic Energy Efficiency

– Paying for Fuel

– Vulnerability in the Energy Market

E-Learning courses

– Fuel Poverty and Health

– Introduction to Domestic Energy

Qualifications

– Fuel Debt Advice in the Community (Level 2)

– Energy Awareness 6281-01 (Level 3) – Funding to be confirmed later this year 

In addition, NEA’s Level 3 Energy Awareness course will have fully funded places available later this year. Please check with them if you are interested in this City and Guilds accredited qualification. .

NEA particularly recommend their ‘Understanding Fuel Poverty and Health: Impacts on Mental Health’ webinar for housing association staff, as it contains information on fuel poverty risk factors and the impacts it will have on both mental and physical health. They also recommend their ‘Introduction to Domestic Energy Efficiency’ webinar, as this gives practical advice as to saving energy in the home.

All course and fee information for England and Wales for all funded and non-funded trainings can be found here

For more information, please contact: Becky Laflain becky.laflain@nea.org.uk

Scotland

For housing associations based in Scotland, please look into Energy Action Scotland. Its mission is to eliminate fuel poverty in Scotland.

Energy Action Scotland are currently offering the Level 3 Energy Awareness 6281-01 course. This is a paid course, and more information can be found here.

Scottish delegates are more than welcome to join England and Wales based webinars, however, unfortunately, their places will not be funded. Candidates must also be aware that webinars will contain bursary/government financial assistance for England and Wales only. 

Northern Ireland

For housing associations based in Northern Ireland, you can find courses tailored to Northern Ireland here.

If you want any more information, please contact Nichola MacDougall nichola.macdougall@nea.org.uk