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From the frontline - David Walker
David Walker, senior green energy co-ordinator at Groundwork, on being human and how we can all reach our potential
What does your job involve?
My job involves so much, but it is always focused on supporting people to tackle fuel poverty by helping them switch energy supplier and access a range of discounts for gas, water and electricity, and by inspiring them to look at their own energy usage.
What is the most important thing when it comes to creating greener housing?
Sustainable change, without a doubt. It’s important to work with people to find out what changes they want to make and will continue to make. If we all do one thing to reduce our consumption and that one action
is sustainable, we can all make a difference.
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What’s the best thing about your job?
Seeing people’s shock when they realise what a significant saving they can make by switching energy provider and by doing simple things like only boiling the water they need in the kettle.
And the most challenging?
It can be a challenge working with people who have not considered energy efficiency and affordability before. This can include students, young families, single parents and older people. There is often a fear of the unknown.
What is your dream job?
This is it! I love everything about the way that I help people and make a difference for them.
“There is often a fear of the unknown.”
What does a good day look like?
After a day of home visits I like to discuss my day with my colleague Tyanna Robinson. We enjoy sharing positive stories. Any day either of us saves a customer more than £1,000 is a great day.
How about a bad one?
Sometimes some of the complex issues people have can remind you that vulnerability takes all sorts of forms and everyone can have times when they need a little boost, but the great feeling of offering that boost far outweighs any bad day blues.
What’s the first thing you’d do if you became prime minister?
I’m so glad you asked. I have a strong feeling we’re all humans and we all share the planet. I would focus my plans on sustainability in all forms: economics, the environment, housing, foreign aid. I don’t like how everyone is so obsessed with getting bigger and better; we need to focus on living responsibly.
What would be your superpower and why?
To make a day last as long as I needed it to. What could we all achieve if we had the time to reach our potential?
