Student鈥痗itizen scientists鈥痵upport Lewisham Council鈥痟ousing retrofit programme鈥�
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Two undergraduate students trained as citizen scientists as part of a civic placement with Lewisham Council and gathered data to help the Council better understand responses to the housing retrofit strategy, addressing sustainability and resident wellbeing in the local area.
Goldsmiths campus, in Lewisham, seen from the air
The project was part of Lewisham Council鈥檚 鈥痶o make them more鈥痚nergy鈥痚fficient, with funding from the government鈥痵ocial housing decarbonisation fund. As鈥痯art of the second wave of the project, the student citizen scientists鈥� role was to collect feedback from social housing residents who had already had changes made to their鈥痟omes and鈥痠dentify鈥痩earnings鈥痑head of鈥痶he next stages of the strategy.鈥��
The citizen scientists conducted鈥�44 phone interviews with residents and took part in energy cafe workshops, where people can get free advice,鈥痺ith鈥疭outh East鈥�51黑料网 Community Energy鈥�(SELCE).鈥�
The students prepared a report鈥痙rawing on their findings from the research.鈥疎ngaging with residents was key to building trust and gathering insights to inform ways to improve residents' experiences with retrofitting their homes in the future.鈥疶he data they gathered is being used to improve council services.鈥疶he students鈥痑lso鈥痯resented their feedback and experiences鈥痶o a鈥痳oundtable鈥痗onvened鈥痓y鈥痶he council, which included council staff and other stakeholders involved in community energy and retrofit.鈥��
The data the students gathered will help to inform training for contractors carrying out future retrofit projects.鈥疶he students鈥� placements were part of a wider project, which鈥痵ought鈥痶o improve communications with residents about the retrofit programme.鈥疶he outputs of this鈥痺ider work鈥痺ill include a new welcome pack for residents,鈥痺ebsite鈥痑nd鈥痾ine.鈥��
For Rayan鈥疊ettache, who studied BA Politics, the placement鈥痯rovided鈥痑 good opportunity to diversify his skills when it comes to鈥痙ifferent鈥痳esearch methods: 鈥渋t was鈥痑 good experience鈥痜or research skills.鈥疶his was鈥痯rimary research, calling people and gathering evidence, compared to secondary research鈥痵kills I gained鈥痺hile writing鈥痚ssays on my course."鈥�
Rayan hopes that the outcomes of the project will lead to residents having better experiences going forward. Personally, the placement allowed him to reflect on鈥痯ossible career鈥痮pportunities with charities and cooperatives. He said, 鈥淎t鈥痜irst,鈥疘鈥痙idn't鈥痶hink a people-focussed role was for me, but this has opened the door.鈥疘t's鈥痜ulfilling and getting鈥痝ood feedback鈥痜rom people is a positive.鈥濃���
Emma Warwick-Davies, who studied BA Politics,鈥痚njoyed gaining understanding of different鈥痯eople鈥檚鈥痩ived experiences鈥痑nd learning about how Deptford and the local area have changed over time鈥痶hrough the interviews she conducted.鈥��
Politics is a very theory-heavy subject. I saw theories in action working on this placement and it fed back into what we were learning on the course.
Emma Warwick-Davies
For Emma, the placement was a highlight of her time at Goldsmiths and she feels that all students could benefit from similar placements: 鈥淚t helps you in the long term, it puts you ahead in finding a鈥痡ob, and鈥痝ives you foundational skills for problem solving in real scenarios鈥痑nd under pressure.鈥濃��
The placement鈥痗onfirmed Emma鈥檚 hopes to鈥痺ork鈥痠n鈥痚nergy鈥痑nd help to tackle鈥痜uel poverty, with it being a problem that many people will face at some point during their lifetimes. She is now working as an energy advisor鈥痺ith spinal鈥痗ord鈥痠njury charity Back鈥疷p. As people with spinal鈥痗ord鈥痠njuries can struggle to regulate temperature, there is a need for energy advice for the community.鈥��
The Lewisham Citizen Science Project shows how Goldsmiths students can get involved in really meaningful, impactful ways in addressing local challenges – including the pressing need for urban climate adaptation.
Dr Michael Eades, Head of Civic Engagement
Dr Michael Eades, Head of Civic Engagement at Goldsmiths said, 鈥淭his project is鈥痑 great example鈥痮f civic partnership in action. We have been building closer links with local partners over the past few years via initiatives such as our Civic University Agreement, finding new ways to collaborate on shared issues and priorities.鈥�
Maria 艦alaru, Housing Retrofit Strategy Coordinator at Lewisham Council, said: "It was wonderful to see Emma and Rayan embrace the opportunity to get involved with this project, exploring community engagement with retrofit programmes in the borough. The research they conducted is already helping to shape our approach to this work in the future. The project has been a brilliant way for Lewisham Council to work collaboratively with Goldsmiths, and with the community in Lewisham to address an urgent shared priority: adapting homes to be more resilient to the climate change that we already see around us."