The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL), together with the partners of the ASSERT project, is pleased to announce the launch of the ASSERT Training Platform – a free, accessible online learning platform designed to strengthen the knowledge and skills of professionals working with households experiencing energy poverty, with a particular focus on persons with physical impairments.
Energy poverty disproportionately affects disabled people, who often have higher energy needs due to the use of assistive devices, heating, cooling, or medical equipment, while living in homes that are not energy efficient. ASSERT addresses these challenges by equipping municipalities and frontline organisations with practical knowledge and tools to deliver more inclusive, coordinated, and effective support.
The training platform is available free of charge in English, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Catalan and French and offers accessible, self-paced learning with video-based modules, interactive quizzes and a certificate of completion.
Who is the training for?
The ASSERT platform offers two dedicated learning pathways:
Training for Intermediaries
Designed for disability organisations, social workers, energy advisers, housing professionals, health services and other frontline practitioners, this course helps participants:
· Better understand the links between disability and energy poverty.
· Provide practical advice and support to persons with disabilities experiencing energy poverty.
· Navigate energy bills and the energy system with greater confidence.
· Identify relevant local services and referral pathways.
· Deliver more inclusive, person-centred support tailored to the needs of vulnerable households.
By replacing ad hoc responses with structured approaches to service delivery, the training also promotes stronger collaboration between social, housing, health and energy services.
Training for Municipalities
The municipal pathway supports local authorities in developing more inclusive policies and services by helping them:
· Integrate disability and energy poverty considerations into social, energy, housing and health policies.
· Better identify and engage households experiencing energy poverty.
· Learn the fundamentals of electricity markets and available support schemes.
· Explore good practices implemented by municipalities across Europe.
· Strengthen local capacity to provide coordinated, accessible and effective support for residents most at risk.
Training Modules
Both learning pathways include a combination of compulsory and elective courses covering the following topics:
· Introduction to Disability
· Introduction to Energy Poverty
· Connecting Disability to Energy Poverty
· Practical and Technical Aspects of Energy Use and Available Support
· Disability-Inclusive Communication
· Renewable Energy Sources for Domestic Use
The courses are designed to be practical, user-friendly and immediately applicable in everyday work with households experiencing energy poverty.
About ASSERT
ASSERT (ASSist people with physical impairments in energy povERTy) is a European project funded by the LIFE Programme (LIFE23-CET-ASSERT) and coordinated by AISFOR.
Over an 18-month period, the project is supporting municipalities and intermediary organisations in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy and Spain through training, mentoring, practical tools and knowledge exchange. By bringing together disability, social, housing and energy stakeholders, ASSERT aims to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in Europe’s clean energy transition.
Register Today
Registration is free and open to municipalities, intermediary organisations and professionals interested in strengthening their capacity to address energy poverty in an inclusive way. Register for the ASSERT Training Platform: https://assert.aisforacademy.eu/
