Just a Change (JAC)

Just a Change is a non-profit association that rebuilds homes for people in need in Portugal and mobilises volunteers to work on the rehabilitation of houses in precarious conservation states. The association develops activities around the following lines: Diagnosis: The local network of social partners maps and diagnoses families living in a state of housing poverty. Mobilisation: The association is in charge of mobilising the primary resources needed for the project’s implementation. Renovation: Throughout the construction, it focuses on creating relationships with its beneficiaries and managing the affairs with the partners to enhance the social impact. During the intervention, it encourages the beneficiaries to take part in the works. Follow-up: With the network of local partners, the association ensures the changes and impact achieved during the rehabilitation works are not lost by guaranteeing every family is followed and helped in other social issues by social workers. Activities developed include: Edit and publish information Collaborate with partners to execute the interventions in the households Promote and participate in congress, conferences, or other actions related to the association’s goals Fundraising activities JAC is a good example of an association acting at the local level with the assistance of volunteers and partnerships. The local authority helps the association diagnose households in need, and the volunteers help renovate the houses during summer camps, boot camps, and other activities. Just a change is also a national network that allows multiple authorities and partners to collaborate and share knowledge. Until 2020, with a budget between 100,000 to 1 million euros, the association renovated almost 240 homes and 65 social institutions under a volunteer scheme across Portugal. In total, more than 5,000 volunteers and 4,500 beneficiaries were recorded. In 2020 alone, through partnerships with private companies, JAC was able to: Mobilise 37 energy technicians for voluntary work on site and skills volunteering. Emit 26 energy certificates for rehabilitated houses, to support and guide energy rehabilitation to be carried out in homes. Install photovoltaic solar systems for self-consumption. Install 13 cases of energy-efficient equipment. Increase the energy level rating of 65% of the houses analysed after the joint intervention. The project started in 2010 and is still ongoing. Main beneficiaries: the low income people and students. It addresses the topics of: communities, education, energy audits, energy efficiency, equipment, equity and justice, hard to treat homes, household appliances, indoor comfort, insulation, quality of dwelling and rural areas. The partners of the project are: EDP, Fundação Manuel António da Mota, Portugal Inovação Social, IKEA, Prio, Leroy Merlin, Voltalia, Amorim, Schuss, Porto., Cascais, Monchique, Obidos, Sever do Vouga, Palmela, Torres Vedras, Santa Comba Dão, Arganil, Capital do Ovo, Tondela, Estrela, Campolide, Social Investors and Technicians, Management and Resources Providers.  

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  Countries impacted:
  

  Portugal
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  Geographical scale:
  

  National
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  Energy poverty phase:
  

  Implementation
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  Intervention type:
  

  Household energy efficiency and refurbishment
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  Professionals involved:
  

  Member of a local/national authority
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  Type of funding:
  

  Private funds, citizen funds
• SDGs addressed: