Meet The Team

Name: Bruce Wares

Job title and brief description of role: Marketing Manager, Home Energy Scotland

I manage marketing and communications for the Home Energy Scotland advice centre in the Highlands and Islands, which Changeworks operates under contract to Energy Saving Trust. Our typical campaigns vary – from Facebook, digital, local press and email to promoting events.

How long have you worked at Changeworks?

I joined Changeworks back in June 2009. It’s a long time to work on a brand like Home Energy Scotland but the work on this contract changes every year so it’s always been interesting. Scotland’s journey to Net Zero will drive a lot of our work in the years ahead too.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks?

The freedom to share ideas, be innovative and help householders have a better life, whether that’s by having a warmer home and lower energy bills or by inspiring them to live a greener life through installing renewables, using low carbon transport or adopting active travel behaviours.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks?

The first lockdown in March 2020 was incredibly challenging. The world we knew had turned upside down overnight. Working collaboratively and remotely with colleagues, we very quickly developed a new key message – ‘we’re here to help’ – for local media, emails and partnerships.

How would you describe your colleagues?

They have a wealth of expertise in different areas of work, and they are incredibly committed to doing their absolute best for our customers and partner organisations.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work?

It’s small enough to get to know your colleagues and make friendships. However, Changeworks is large enough to make a real, lasting impact on thousands of people and the communities and organisations we work with across Scotland.

Name: Cat Gear

Job title and brief description of role: Facilities Officer

I’m the face of Changeworks for the general public, visitors and lug for callers. I work in the Facilities Team so you’ll often find me fixing stuff around the building (usually singing as I do – sorry not sorry!).

We look after the maintenance of the building, the company fleet and the general day-to-day running of the Orchard Brae House office. For the most part, if you have a problem/query about the office, you can pop over to find the Facilities Angels. Alternatively, you can fire us a Teams message or give us a ring and we’ll be happy to help out.

How long have you worked at Changeworks? 

Seven years.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks? 

The culture. At Changeworks you’re not a number on the payroll, you’re a real person and folk are interested to get to know you. While of course there is a managerial/directorate structure at Changeworks, everybody speaks to each other as equals; I’m as likely to chat with our Chief Executive about their weekend or holiday plans as I am anyone else in the building.

Behind closed doors, Changeworks stands by its values and the advice we give out – we’re not encouraging folk to reduce their food waste, giving advice on reducing energy bills or reducing carbon footprint without also doing it in house.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks? 

It’s hard to pick an individual event, but being a part of the Wellbeing Group has, and continues to be, a highlight for me. I’m passionate about improving the working environment, striving for inclusion for all and bolstering the general wellbeing of my colleagues.

We’ve introduced so many fantastic additions in the last couple of years – free sanitary products, all gender toilet, fertility policy, and Mental Health First Aid training to name a few. We continue to bring forward ideas to the Directorate from across the voice of the entire organisation.

How would you describe your colleagues? 

They are a phenomenal bunch. I love that there is such varied life experiences and lifestyles which are brought together under one roof. It’s so inclusive and there’s no judgement about who you are or what your background is. We’re all working towards the same goal.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work? 

Something I find quite unique about Changeworks is communication. We are kept in the loop with the goings on in the organisation from the board and Directorate through email, the monthly business brief or when we all get together at our All Staff Gathering (a great day!).

It’s refreshing to know that everyone is being included in everything that is happening as and when it does rather than be told A is happening on B date with no warning.

Name: Kehinde Moses

Job title and brief description of role: Energy Advisor, Home Energy Scotland

I give free and impartial advice to customers on how to be more energy efficient, and to help them save money to reduce fuel poverty by sign-posting those needing support or help to achieve this. I also help people save energy and help the environment by inspiring low carbon behaviours.

How long have you worked at Changeworks?

I started out as a volunteer in 2014, before leaving and then coming back in 2021 to volunteer again as a Food Waste Engagement Ambassador with the Edinburgh Food Waste Engagement project. I’ve been working full time as an Energy Advisor since then.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks?

The best thing for me about working at Changeworks is the fact that I get to help people on a daily basis in my role. I love helping customers because it gives me a great sense of fulfilment when I help solve a problem or make them aware of something they can do differently which they’ve never thought of before.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks?

I had a conversation with a customer in my native language which gave us a common ground to interact well over the phone. The fact we can reach customers from diverse backgrounds and different ethnic groups stood out for me. I also recently completed a video shoot recording for one of our campaigns for the City of Edinburgh Council. I’d never been in front of a video camera before, so this gave me the opportunity to showcase my soft skills.

While working as a volunteer I was also involved in a similar campaign but this time on reducing food waste, which included having my photo used on the Changeworks website.

How would you describe your colleagues?

They are a lovely group of people, very caring and supportive. They helped me settle into the job very quickly and with much encouragement I passed my SQAs quicker than I expected. Every day someone checks on me to ask how I’m doing, and we also do a lot of fun things in the team like the vuddle catch up every morning before we start work, Kahoot and other games.

Away from work we all bond like a family and support each other through special occasions like baby showers and birthdays.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work?

The people have so much passion for what they do, everyone is always ready to work and always up to the task. Changeworks is a prestigious environmental charity which stands to deliver low carbon living solutions through energy and fuel poverty advice and behaviour change. They also help organisations cut down their carbon footprint through various forms advice.

This gives me an opportunity to explore different areas to work and develop my career by working for a company helping to fight climate change.

Name: Donna Greenhill

Job title and brief description of role: Facilities Manager

I manage the facilities at our Edinburgh and satellite offices, and co-ordinate Health and Safety.

How long have you worked at Changeworks?

For over 30 years. Changeworks has not always been Changeworks… but that’s another story for another day!

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks?

It has got be the diverse range of skills and experience the staff who work here have, and how good we are at working together to take an idea and turn it in to something that has a positive impact on people’s lives.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks?

The one that springs to mind is getting to sit next to Doug Allan, the award-winning wildlife cameraman and photographer, at one of our staff gatherings. He attended as a guest speaker, and I had him totally talked out by the time he reached the stage! What an interesting man.

How would you describe your colleagues?

They are passionate about what they do and with this passion comes success.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work?

We work hard and appreciate and respect what each other do, but also realise that it’s nice to be a social bunch too. Whether that’s a wee chat in the corridor, kitchen or a full-blown night out in the local pub, we enjoy each other’s company both inside and outside work.

Name: Jay Scott

Job title: ICT Support Technician

How long have you worked at Changeworks?

Coming up six years in April 2024.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks?

The people. Most people I’ve had the pleasure of working with are very kind and very easy to get along with. This breeds productivity and helps maintain a positive working environment.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks?

My highlight would have been when I finished my one-year apprenticeship and was given a full-time contract within a team I enjoyed working for.

How would you describe your colleagues?

They care about the goals Changeworks have and are very passionate about it. They are all very positive, even when faced with adversity, and find ways to overcome this.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work?

Changeworks offers an excellent culture along with a great work-life balance. Each day I feel empowered to help my colleagues deliver excellent project to benefit people across Scotland.

Name: Joanna Long

Job title and brief description of role: Senior Impact Evaluation Consultant. I design and oversee the delivery of projects evidencing the real-world impacts of energy efficiency improvements.

How long have you worked at Changeworks? I joined Changeworks in October 2021.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks? Working on projects that directly address the climate emergency.

What has been the highlight of your time Changeworks? My highlight has been growing the Impact Evaluation team itself and our tight working relationship with the Project Management team.

How would you describe your colleagues? My colleagues are a funny, caring and driven bunch of people. They motivate and inspire me, but also keep my feet on the ground.

What makes Changeworks a unique place to work? Staff are truly empowered in their roles while also being supported. I feel I’ve been able to achieve a lot in a short time because I could just get on with things, knowing that my colleagues and managers were there whenever I needed them.

Name: Thomas Close

Job title and brief description of role: Home Energy Scotland Energy Advisor

My task (although it goes to multiple locations and takes different forms) is simply to start people’s journey towards warmer, greener homes with lower fuel bills.

A typical day can cover a range of situations and queries, and no conversation is ever the same. I might be advising on how to improve the energy efficiency of a property, whilst exploring funding for doing so. I might be helping people lower their bills through signposting them to various benefits or support funds, or providing them with behaviour change guidance. I could also be helping people go greener, from looking into renewable options for a property to finding funding for green travel options.

What is the best thing about working at Changeworks?

The sense of worthiness and knowing that the support you are providing is having a positive impact on people’s lives and on the environment.

Also getting to see the development and ingenuity of renewable technology and advancements.

Do you have any standout moments from your time so far?

I have supported my group in creating additional resources such as the Tenure Guide.

How would you describe your colleagues/organisational culture?

Engaged and Immersed

What does working at Changeworks mean to you?

It means collectively doing small parts to make big differences. All I am doing is starting people’s journeys, but with the potential that they meet people with different expertise and get the ball rolling into a big change.

Would you recommend working at Changeworks?

Yes, it is a low-stress work environment with a sense of community building within the Home Energy Scotland group. The changes do impact people, and as long as we keep on-top of the ever-changing policies, technologies and environments, we are relevant.