EWOV in the Community

Our African community engagement project

In August 2008, we took part in an energy workshop for the African Community in Melbourne’s west. The workshop was organised by the Footscray Community Legal Centre (FCLC). In March 2009, the FCLC released its The African Consumer Experience of the Contestable Energy Market in the West of Melbourne report.

The Essential Services Commission responded to the report, facilitating workshops with representatives of the African community, FCLC staff, the Consumer Action Law Centre and energy retailers in April 2009, and preparing its own report.

Aware that FCLC and other community agencies don't have the underlying capacity to deal effectively with the range of utility issues raised by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) consumers—in this case, consumers from Africa—we’ve responded to a request for help, by setting up EWOV’s African Community Engagement Project.

This project addresses both energy and water issues. It considers the language difficulties faced by CALD consumers, as well as their limited understanding of contractual arrangements and how utility industries operate in Victoria (things such as marketing, billing and energy efficiency). We’re also liaising with scheme participants and community agencies to develop a workable approach to these CALD customer issues.

What does this mean for you? We've developed an easy-to-use EWOV case referral form and information sheet for community agencies. You’ll be able to use this to refer your African clients’ utility issues to us. The form includes direct contact details for electricity and gas retailers—so that your client doesn’t have to navigate through a menu before reaching a real person. This form is intended to be used for your African clients only, while we’re trialling the project. We’ll be visiting a range of community and settlement agencies shortly, to introduce the form. If you’d like us to visit your agency, please contact Tanja Stephan, our Stakeholder Relations Officer: tanja.stephan@ewov.com.au

Taking part in community events

EWOV staff attended the Salvation Army’s Anti-Poverty Week event in Frankston in October 2009. We've also taken part in community workshops on energy marketing arranged by the Essential Services Commission (ESC) in Footscray, Shepparton and Gippsland. Further ESC workshops are planned for Shepparton and Gippsland in the new year.

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Dealing with
utility issues
facing
culturally and
linguistically
diverse
customers