A decision to practise energy solidarity will fundamentally alter many things about a given energy community (EC) – from who it provides services to and the kind of services it will offer to the entities it collaborates with.
As CEES Partners experienced, it will require different resources, in terms of materials and equipment, the skills of staff and volunteers, and financing. Often, it will require more of all such resources. The first chapter of the Energy Solidarity Toolkit aims to give an overview of aspects to consider up front.
Protecting people is fundamental to energy solidarity
Participant safeguarding refers to the need, particularly when carrying out research or doing interventions, to protect a person’s health, well-being and right to live in safety, free from harm, abuse and neglect.1 This implies engaging in safe and inclusive ways, respecting the person’s right to autonomy and being prepared to respond appropriately if a person expresses feeling unsafe for any reason.
The UK Department of Education offers some practical advice about participant safeguarding, including three risks to be aware of and plan for:
- The risk of causing the participant and others harm in research settings. For example: if a participant is asked to discuss a traumatic topic and becomes upset.
- The risk of harm being disclosed or identified in research settings. For example: if a young child reveals that they are left home alone for long periods of time.
- Direct risks posed by health conditions. For example: exposing participants to an increased chance of catching COVID.
A comprehensive participant safeguarding policy should cover all individuals involved – i.e. both members of households and EC staff and volunteers. It may have sub-sections that vary for different target groups (e.g. children, adults, persons with disabilities). It should align with legal obligations relevant to the activities and the context, and clearly identify who holds responsibility for ensuring the protocols are followed. Finally, it should set out appropriate referral pathways.
Click through to read more blogs related to ‘Getting Started’.
- ECs need to onboard new skills
- Summary of energy solidarity tools
- Energy solidarity to tackle energy poverty
- Assigning roles: staff or volunteers
- Putting energy solidarity into practice
- The Energy Solidarity Toolkit
- An evolving role for energy communities
- Understanding energy poverty, broadly and in local contexts
1 https://user-research.education.gov.uk/standards-and-principles/participant-safeguarding/