Voluntary trustees wanted for fuel justice charity in South East London

• Are you looking for a new challenge?
• Are you ready to contribute to creating a fairer and cleaner energy system in South East London and beyond?
• Do you have experience of the charity sector or fuel poverty alleviation?
• Are you keen to enhance your skills and experience as a leader and innovator?

South East London Community Energy community benefit society (Selce CBS) has successfully championed local renewable energy production, energy reduction measures and fuel poverty alleviation for eleven years. The Board of Directors is now looking to establish a new independent charity focused on fuel poverty alleviation.

We are looking for at least two founder trustees to help us register and set up the charity and who will eventually become trustees on the board. Founder trustees will need expertise in charity leadership and governance and/or significant experience in the delivery of fuel poverty alleviation services. Further trustees with the range of skills needed by the charity will be recruited on a rolling basis up to a maximum of twelve.

The charity will be based on cooperative values and will encourage participation and empowerment of people who use our services, local communities, members, volunteers and staff. Our objectives are to:

• Increase the use of sustainable energy and reduce carbon emissions to protect and improve our environment;
• To undertake practical measures to combat fuel poverty and provide healthier housing;
• To educate and increase public awareness of the climate crisis and community led solutions.

If you support these values and objectives and are able to dedicate three or more days a month to the role for the next six months we would love to hear from you. Once the charity is fully established we envisage the time commitment will drop to a minimum of five hours per month.

If you are interested please contact kate_parker@selce.org.uk for further information about the role and how to apply.

Applications to be submitted by 5th January.

N.B. Founder trustees need to be independent of the existing Selce CBS so this position is not open for those who currently work for Selce or are members or directors of Selce CBS. If you have previously been a member or director of Selce CBS please contact us so we can take advice on your eligibility.

Retrofit Citizen Scientist – Join our community team!

Paid at London Living Wage (£13.85/hour).
Around 22.5 hours per week (3 days/week) from January to March 2026.
Total of 271 paid hours, which is roughly half-time work over 12 weeks.
Flexible schedule and supportive team.
Recruitment is now open (December 2025) more details below.

What is this project?

Lewisham Council and South East London Community Energy (Selce) are working together on an exciting project to understand how housing retrofit (home improvements such as insulation, ventilation or renewable energy) affects people’s everyday lives. We’re looking for local residents to become Citizen Scientists: people who help us learn by talking to neighbours, visiting homes, and sharing stories about living through retrofit works.

You don’t need any experience. Just curiosity, care for your community, and a willingness to learn.

What you’ll do

As a Citizen Scientist, you will:

💡 Talk to residents about their experiences during retrofit.
💡 Observe what happens during works such as insulation, scaffolding, or heating upgrades.
💡 Join Selce staff on home visits, community events, and energy cafés.
💡 Help create simple, creative materials like short videos, photos, zines, or stories.
💡 Share what you learn with the Council to help improve future housing projects.

What Selce will do

Selce is a local community energy organisation. It will:

💡 Provide friendly training to help you feel confident in speaking with residents and gathering information.
Support you during fieldwork and community visits.
💡 Offer sessions on topics like energy use, climate resilience, and how retrofit affects daily life.
💡 Make sure you’re safe, supported, and included at every step.
Handle payment through its payroll system.

Training and support

You will receive around 35 hours of training and supervised experience across the programme. This includes:

💡 How to listen, talk to people, and record their experiences.
💡 How housing, energy, and health connect in everyday life.
💡 How to stay safe during home visits.
💡 Hands-on learning in the community.
💡 You’ll be supported by Selce staff, Lewisham Council staff, and a specialist training provider.

Hours, pay, and schedule

Paid at London Living Wage (£13.85/hour).
Around 22.5 hours per week (3 days/week) from January to March 2026.
Total of 271 paid hours, which is roughly half-time work over 12 weeks.
Flexible schedule and supportive team.
Recruitment is now open (December 2025).

Citizen Scientists will be paid through Selce and will register as sole traders (we will guide you through this).

Why join?

This is a great chance to:

Build confidence and new skills.
Meet people in your community.
Learn about energy, housing, and how your home can be made warmer and healthier.
Have your voice heard and help shape how retrofit is done in Lewisham.
Add valuable experience to your CV.

Who we’re looking for

Anyone who:

Lives in Lewisham or a nearby borough.
Cares about their community.
Is interested in housing, climate, or just learning something new.
Enjoys talking to people.
Wants to make a difference.

No previous experience is needed.

How to apply

Send a cover letter and CV to katherin@selce.org.uk

Application deadline: Friday, 20 December 2025

Timeline

Dec 2025: Recruitment, meet the team, induction.
Jan 2026: Start training.
Feb 2026: Community visits and conversations with residents.
Mar 2026: Share findings, create stories, celebrate what you’ve learned.