Background- The Prime Minister has set out a new agenda on social action and presented his vision of a partnership in which government empowers and enables individuals and organisations working together for positive social change. The Government intends to: •Support a wider range of activities by the third sector, particularly community action and campaigning •Focus more on investing in the long-term future of the third sector’s work •Focus more on improving local partnerships The proposal seeks to recruit young people (16-24) and elderly (50+) to become RESPECT energy information workers. Bringing the two together they will work side-by-side to learn about energy efficiency in the home, national and local grants and scheme availability, heating appliances and controls, hints and tips for reducing fuel bills and fuel consumption, signposting to relevant helpful organisations, and understanding where a home loses heat and the detrimental health impacts of living in cold homes for both the young and the old. The project will have inbuilt intergenerational community action available through the teams working together and supporting each other to deliver energy efficiency information to isolated people and to community and youth groups in their area(s) and this should help the volunteers to establish a greater dialogue with their client groups. The volunteers will receive training from NEA to enable them to deliver one-off taster sessions to other like minded voluntary individuals, thereby providing the opportunity to reach and assist even more people. The local community will benefit from increased energy efficiency, decreased fuel poverty and from the engagement of young and old community members working together, which will increase social cohesion. The outreach work will also lead to a decrease in rural isolation for those who are beneficiaries of the scheme. The young and elderly volunteers recruited as RESPECT Energy Information Workers will gain from receiving in-depth NEA energy efficiency and presentation skills training. The training will be designed to increase participants’ confidence and to develop new skills and knowledge on energy issues. Participants will be guided through the process of identifying those most at need; recognising triggers; understanding the needs and engaging with the community; and will prepare them to deliver/share relevant and useful information to community groups. They will be enthused about energy efficiency and through involvement in public speaking and through the acquisition of practical knowledge, they will put their learning to good use by becoming the ‘voice of the people’ to provide much needed support to the vulnerable in their communities. The target groups who will be assisted through this project are threefold: a) the young volunteers by providing skills for life through training, experience and job opportunities; b) the voluntary over 50 year olds who will benefit from achieving new skills and the kudos of doing worthwhile work that falls within their voluntary remit; and c) the community (young and old), their friends, families and colleagues, who will benefit from real hard-hitting advice that will lead them to take-up benefits, grants, schemes and assistance that they are entitled to. It is essential that the young and old work together to ensure the sustainability of the project. This will come from the RESPECT Workers that will continue to use their new training in their everyday roles for many years to come, effectively acting as ‘Champions’ by continuing to spread the information they have learnt to family, friends, colleagues, peers and others in the wider community. This is a flexible proposal and NEA would be keen to discuss options with potential supporter interested in this outline proposal. Funding of £31,000 + VAT is required to support the RESPECT project over a 12 month period. This is 50% of the total project costs.