VCMA Projects - Fuel Poverty Awareness Training, Green Doctors Energy Matters and GEMS - Groundworks Energy Management Services.

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An extension has been put in place for all 3 VCMA projects, Fuel Poverty Awareness Training, Green Doctors Energy Matters and GEMS - Groundworks Energy Management Services. Green Doctor - Fuel Poverty Training Course The Green Doctor fuel poverty course is delivered both online & face to face. We have found that the scope has increased due to the ease of access from more distant regions of our delivery areas. The aim of the course is to train frontline workers from a wide variety of organisations who in some way support people in or at risk of falling into fuel poverty. Since November 2019 we have trained around 250 frontline key workers who have then potentially disseminated the knowledge learnt to on average 8-10 people each day as part of their role. We have a diverse mix of people on the course from housing officers, debt advice workers, health professionals, social prescribers, engineers and community representatives. Many of these become 'energy champions'. Green Doctor - Energy Matters The Green Doctor service aims to reduce energy costs, increase energy-efficiency and improve health & wellbeing. Groundwork's Energy Management Services (GEMS) The GEMS scheme provides an energy management service to community/charitable organisations who are based in buildings that have poor thermal energy efficiency, high running costs and would benefit from support & advice on how to reduce their costs, increase efficiency & to implement an energy management system for future sustainability. Further scope for this project includes offering this as a paid for service to small, medium & micro business enterprises which would enable us to become sustainable for future delivery & would benefit the wider community & local businesses. Lot 1: Groundwork have been delivering the project - Energy Matters Yorkshire which was submitted by Groundwork as a unique service requirement in that nothing currently exists in the region. Over past years they have established a strong Energy Matters service in West Yorkshire and grown this into wider areas of Yorkshire. A Green Doctor visit includes: income saving and advice, energy use and health. Stakeholder engagement throughout GD2 told us that access to many of these services is becoming increasingly difficult (energy advice/small measures) and has been compounded by the pandemic. Green Doctors are well established in Yorkshire and NGN has a long standing relationship with Groundwork/Green Doctors as previously provided funding (jointly) for a Comfortable Living project. The project looks at delivery in Yorkshire of 1000 Green Doctor visits over 2 years. In addition, the Green Doctors provide follow up advocacy and support through: - Referrals to other services such as Fire Service, Adult Social Care, Food Banks, Health care professionals, Housing support teams, Debt support charities - Liaising and negotiating with energy suppliers to switch tariffs, remove or reduce existing fuel debt - Access to grants for debt relief to tackle ongoing fuel debt issues - Access to grants for white goods and other home appliances for the most vulnerable households - Liaising with Local Authorities for tenants in poor quality private sector housing where the landlords are unwilling to make improvements to the property • PSR signs up: 300 each year • CO awareness surveys: 300 each year