This year’s theme “Give to Gain”, which encourages a mindset of collaboration, reciprocity and support, resonates deeply with the work of the Highland Energy Community Partnership (HECP).
Across several of the most rural and dispersed regions in Scotland, a team of committed Energy Officers are leading the charge to make homes warmer, greener and more affordable, while ensuring that no community is left behind in the transition to low carbon living.
As the Partnership Manager for HECP, I have the privilege of working alongside an incredible group of Energy Officers, partner organisations, volunteers, and community leaders. Determination sits at the heart of this project’s early success.
I’ve worked for Changeworks since 2008 and was previously an outreach officer for Home Energy Scotland in my first role with the organisation, so I understand firsthand what the project is aiming to achieve.
After seven years I took time off after my second child was born and later went onto work for my local community organisation, gaining a greater understanding of running projects from a community’s perspective. I then came back to work for Changeworks under the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) team at Local Energy Scotland before applying for this new project funded by The National Lottery.
Collaborating, learning and leading together
HECP is unique in Scotland. It’s a partnership that spans six community organisations, three supporting partners and a shared ambition to transform the retrofit landscape in the Highlands.
The project aims to overcome the barriers to retrofitting homes that these rural communities face. By sharing knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring and time, the partnership aims to create a more supportive landscape.
“HECP marks a real turning point in how we understand, source and improve home energy solutions across our Highland community…. The Partnership is a unique opportunity for residents to engage with a range of activities to make their homes greener and reduce energy bills.” Mamta Patel, LUCT Chairperson (Lochbroom and Ullapool Community Trust)
Female leaders across these organisations, including Mamta, have been central to building this collaborative model.
Vicky Walker, the Project Sponsor and Centre Manager at Home Energy Scotland Highlands and Islands, worked on the initial bid with the partner organisations and the team at Changeworks, which has enabled it to grow from an idea into a fully-funded project.
Toni Magee, Home Energy Specialist at Home Energy Scotland Highlands and Islands, leads on the energy advice to HECP households and householder access to Scottish Government energy efficiency grants/loans and other schemes.
Caroline Woods, HECP Co-ordination & Engagement, helps shape the delivery of the project.
Isla MacMillan, Project Manager at The Highland Council, co-ordinates community initiatives under their Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme (EES:ABS), enabling funding for retrofit.
Carrie Higgins, Tertiary Education Leader, Inverness, University of Highlands and Islands, supports an assessment of skills required by the supply chain and the development and delivery of courses to deliver upskilling and re-skilling, training and PAS 2035 accreditation.
We have had expert advice from Changeworks throughout: Judith, our Senior Data Protection Officer at Changeworks, Joanne and Katy on the Consultancy team who have led the team through a Theory of Change Workshop and marketing support from Tora, Jen and the team.
This is what women’s leadership in climate action looks like: collaborative, strategic, community centered and grounded in empathy.
Empowering communities through climate action
Since the Climate Action Fund investment was awarded in January 2025, the pace of progress has been extraordinary. Our Energy Officers and the delivery support team, many joining with deep roots in their local communities, have hit the ground running.
They’ve undertaken intensive training in energy awareness, retrofit advice and traditional building techniques in order to ask the detailed retrofit questions that others might not be able to ask. This has helped them to build confidence, understand the process for homeowners and enable them to make informed decisions about improving homes.
They’ve navigated complex funding landscapes, engaged with vulnerable households and are building trusted relationships, becoming ambassadors in their own communities. Crucially, they have done all this while balancing the emotional demands of supporting people struggling with the cost of living, cold homes or systems of referrals.
Every clear explanation of funding routes and every referral that is brought to completion, where otherwise it might not, brings tangible benefit.
Developing the Highland Energy Community Partnership
The partnership is project that aims to overcome barriers to home decarbonisation and fuel poverty alleviation in remote areas of the Scottish Highlands.
Reaching people where they are
Our Energy Officers, Claire, Anna, Simon, Laura and Matthew, and the support team Craig, Sue and Fee, have shown remarkable creativity in reaching households across diverse and scattered landscapes.
From door knocking in Achnasheen, to drop in surgeries, to school workshops, to market stalls, to coffee and chat sessions in village halls, they are meeting people where they are, not asking communities to come to them. This is inclusion in action.
For many residents, especially the elderly, single parent households, or individuals with limited mobility, access to trusted, local support can be the difference between living in a cold home and being able to take action.
Looking forward: building a legacy for the Highlands
We’re only at the end of year one, and already the foundations are strong:
- Over x households have been meaningfully supported
- The team has attended X events, home visits, and outreach sessions
- We’ve a growing network of installers and supply chain partners
- Evidence building that highlights the barriers rural communities face
- Strengthened relationships with housing associations, the NHS, community councils, and national partners
- Energy Officers progressing through demanding professional qualifications that will leave lasting skills in their communities
This work is not just about retrofit. It’s about creating homes that are warm, building a regional supply chain that supports local jobs and about ensuring that no one is excluded from the benefits of a just transition.
A final reflection for International Women’s Day
It really has been amazing to watch this project develop over the past year and I look forward to seeing it continue to do so. Thank you to all the partners involved in making this project come together in a meaningful way.
Working with communities whose resilience, warmth, and generosity make the Highlands a truly special place to work. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate not just the progress we’ve made, but the women making that progress possible.
If you would like to speak to the Energy Officers involved in this project, they can be contacted directly by clicking on the logos below.
Our partners
