SUITE

Scaling up Innovation Together for Energy Vulnerability

Deliver a scalability plan for the delivery of ASSIST model to tackle energy poverty

SUITE is a European funded project within the European Social Catalyst Fund to analyse and verify possible financial self-sustainable for the implementation on the long-term of the ASSIST model as a concrete tool to contribute to tackle energy poverty.

Within ASSIST a model based on an operator with empowered and integrated competencies on all energy poverty related issues - the Household Energy Advisor (HEA) - was piloted. The ASSIST model consists of training HEAs - networking amongst HEAs - delivering action on the ground on behalf of the HEAs. The model was built with an holistic, inter-disciplinaru and multi-actor approach addressng operators (future HEAs) coming from different working sectors (energy - social; public private). Thanks to this approach the model can be taken-up by all stakeholders interested in actively contributing fighting / reducing energy poverty.

HEAs are operators already working on the ground coming from different working context (such as operator from a public helpdesk, operator from consumer associations, social operators but can also be an operator of a client helpdesk within a private company or a shop). Stakeholders already working on the field providing advice to people in need, interested in integrating their assitance / services also on energy poverty related issues may undertake the ASSIST training and become HEAs: With empowered and integrated competencies, HEAs can assist people in energy poverty through different actions (example of actions are helpdesk, home visits, enegy bill check-ups, energy audits, support to request financial help, etc.). The HEA is a bridge between citizens in need and advice on different energy poverty related issues.

The ASSIST model proved to a win-win solution from different perspectives and is a validated model which can be taken up by different stakeholders in different contexts: public (such as municipalities within their SECAPs), non-profit (such as associations) and private (such as client helpdesks, retailers and shops).

Objective

The aim of SUITE is to build one (or more) self-sustainable financial mechanisms for the take-up and long-term run of ASSIST model considering that the HEA services address a vulnerable / poor target. SUITE will deliver a scalability plan for the next 2 years of the ASSIST model in 5 countries - Italy, Spain, Poland, Hungary and Romania.

The plan will detail the steps for the building of national HEA networks and a wide European segreteriat, including all national networks and European interested actors.