This post has been written by Mandy Wright, Partnerships Officer at Home Energy Scotland.
Home Energy Scotland works with climate action networks across South East Scotland to help people take practical steps to make their homes warmer, more energy efficient and ready for the future. These partnerships make it easier for people to access local, trusted home energy advice.
By working with groups that already have strong community connections, Home Energy Scotland can reach people earlier, and provide clear, impartial advice where it’s needed most.
Community-led partnerships in action
Climate action networks such as North Queensferry Climate Action Network, Fife Communities Climate Action Network, East Lothian Climate Action Network and St Andrews Environmental Network bring people together around local climate priorities. Each partnership looks a little different, but all are built on shared aims: supporting communities, encouraging action, and making change feel possible.
Partnership with North Queensferry Climate Action Hub
In North Queensferry, Home Energy Scotland and the local climate action network co-hosted Warming up North Queensferry, a community event that focused on renewable heating. Alongside clear technical advice from Home Energy Scotland, a local resident shared their own experience of installing an air source heat pump. In the lead-up to the event, both organisations worked closely on promotion. Home Energy Scotland provided text for a local newspaper article and worked with the group to create posters and leaflets, which North Queensferry Climate Action Network distributed locally. Event details were also shared across social media.
This joint approach:
- helped forty people register for the session
- led to new members joining the climate action network; and
- generated followup contact, including five home visits from Home Energy Scotland technical and outreach teams.
One organiser reflected on the impact of the session:
“Our view was that the event was a success. The questions after the presentation showed that people had taken in the information and were thinking about how it related to their own particular circumstances.”
Partnership with Fife Communities Climate Action Network
In Fife, a new relationship with Fife Communities Climate Action Network
(FCCAN) is creating opportunities to reach a wide range of community groups through shared promotion and events. Early engagement included attendance at the Wee Day Oot event, which helped Home Energy Scotland connect with local organisations and build presence in the network, despite lower turnout due to severe weather. Ongoing engagement with FCCAN is helping to build visibility and create more opportunities to work together across the network.
Partnership with East Lothian Climate Action Network
In East Lothian, Home Energy Scotland has been raising awareness through festival stalls and targeted engagement with the East Lothian Climate Action Network (ELCAN). Participation in events such as the Green Futures Festival and ELCAN’s “Building Sustainable Action” session has helped Home Energy Scotland connect with local households and organisations, generating new partnership leads and strengthening existing relationships.
These activities have already helped Home Energy Scotland work with local community groups and make connections at East Lothian Council. As a result, Home Energy Scotland has been invited to take part in an upcoming Climate Change Ready Committee forum.
Partnership with St Andrews Environment Network
A longstanding partnership with St Andrews Environment Network continues to grow, with both organisations seeing the benefits of shared referrals and closer collaboration.
Recent discussions have laid the groundwork for joint events, shared learning and support for future funding opportunities.
What this work has achieved
Across the south east, partnership working with climate action networks has:
- helped reach new audiences through trusted local groups
- increased attendance at events and demand for followup support
- created new connections with councils and community organisations; and
- strengthened referral routes between advice services.
Just as importantly, it has helped integrate topics around energy efficiency and renewable heating into everyday conversations at a local level.
What’s next
Home Energy Scotland will continue to build on these relationships by co-delivering events, supporting local festivals and working more closely with councils and community partners. The focus will remain on long-term collaboration rather than one-off activity.
What we’ve learned
Working with climate action networks shows the value of meeting people where they already are.
Shared promotion, local voices and trusted relationships make advice feel more relevant and achievable.
Investing time in partnerships creates opportunities for deeper engagement and lasting impact – both for communities and for Home Energy Scotland.
If you’re part of a community group or climate action network and would like to work with Home Energy Scotland, get in touch directly to find out how we can run events together or share advice in your area.