Energy poverty has been increasing across Queensland with cost of living pressures and rising energy costs contributing to more people visiting Neighbourhood Centres unable to pay their bill or unsure how to navigate the complex energy system.
At the end of last year, staff at 20 Neighbourhood Centres trained to become ‘Energy Educators’ through the Charge Up! project to help support their community members. Now, those 20 Neighbourhood Centres are already holding Energy Education Information Sessions (on topics such as reading your bill, switching retailer, hardship options) and offering individual household energy consultations.
Neighbourhood Centres Queensland is proud to be working alongside QCOSS to deliver the Charge Up! project. Access to clear and practical information is more important than ever, and the resources developed through the project are also available to all 155 Neighbourhood Centres across the state.
Through Charge Up!, we’re supporting all Centres to assist their communities with their energy needs, ensuring vulnerable Queenslanders can access and use energy efficiently. Funded by the Queensland Government’s Department of Energy and Climate through the Enable Grants Program, anyone can access easy to understand resources from Charge Up! that cover:
- Are you missing out on energy bill support?
- How to get a better energy deal and tips when switching
- How to keep cool without breaking the bank
- Understanding star ratings when buying an appliance
- How to read your electricity meter
Neighbourhood Centres are playing a crucial role in sharing these resources and guiding community members to make informed choices about their energy use. If you work in the community sector, we encourage you to explore and share these resources: www.qcoss.org.au/project/charge-up/.
A big thank you to all the Neighbourhood Centres who are a key part of this initiative!