Putting the power in Empower

A new, mixed-methods evaluation report has been published by Bromley by Bow Insights on the Centre’s successful Empower You Too project, funded by the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. 

The programme supported over 1,750 unique households with energy advice. Only 14% agreed that they had enough money to pay their bills

Background

Three strands of support were provided by the programme, delivered both in person, and virtually, as service delivery was rapidly modified during Covid-19 lockdowns.

1. One-to-one energy advice appointments – to manage urgent and crisis situations
2. Energy saving workshops – to build skills, knowledge and connection with others
3. Six-week Energy Champions Training – to build community capacity and extend impact

Output highlights

• 468 one-to-one sessions were held
• 1370 people engaged with outreach
• 81 workshops were held for 747 participants
• 60 Energy Champions achieved a level 1 qualification
• 175 crisis vouchers were issued, 297 referrals or signposts made, 5 resources created

Outcomes and impact

The project activities worked towards three aims for the individuals involved:

Meeting basic needs: 55% of participants agreed that their finances were more under control and 60% agreed that their home was warm enough

Building knowledge and skills: 75% of participants agreed that they now know how to get the support they needed, whilst 86% said that they could do more to look after themselves and their family.

Taking action for yourself and others: 85% of participants agreed that they had used the new knowledge they had gained to improve their day to day life.

Further impacts include improved digital confidence, more job-related skills, positive improvement in wellbeing, reports of less loneliness and more individual motivation to help self and others.

The report’s recommendations focus on: longer-term sustainable funding for energy advice; deepening the system-wide and network approach to impact; and developing progression options for Energy Champions.

The Empower You Too project ran for two years from September 2020-August 2022 to provide a range of innovative energy advice in partnership between four organisations: Bromley by Bow Centre, Age UK East London, Citizen’s Advice East End and Poplar HARCA.  Funding is being actively sought to continue delivery of this important work

Read the report summary or the full report

Access our resources to save energy and money, or contact our energy advice team.