Training empowers Barnsley residents to tackle damp and mould

A new tenant training programme is being hailed as a success after equipping local residents in Barnsley with knowledge on the causes and preventative measures for condensation and mould in their homes.

Delivered by EN:Able Communities, the initiative was tailored to tenants of Berneslai Homes and brought together a series of hands-on workshops aimed at empowering people to keep their homes dry, safe, and mould-free.

The Understanding Condensation & Mould – Your Home and Health course, certified for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by the National Open College Network (NOCN), ran across five sessions and focused on the root causes of damp and mould, while providing trainees with the tools and confidence to become conduits of change across the community. 

Between 4% and 27% of homes in England, as many as 6.5 million households, experience damp and mould. With Awaab’s Law coming into force later this year and placing legal obligations on social landlords to act quickly on hazards like mould, this training comes at a critical time.

Simeon Perry, Head of ESG at EN:Procure, Efficiency North’s procurement arm, said: “We face many challenges across the social housing sector, but we believe that education is key to housing providers, residents and contractors tackling the problems together. Addressing damp and mould through education is a top priority, with a clear plan to reverse the catastrophic consequences we’ve seen when prevention is absent.

“Through this programme, we empowered tenants to take charge of their homes, their health, and their wellbeing. Our collaboration with Berneslai Homes adds another jigsaw piece to what we hope becomes a national picture of sector-wide mobilisation to invest in training that gets to the root of the problem.”

More than 30 participants took part, with support from experts across EN:Able Communities and Berneslai Homes, who worked together to design and deliver the programme. For many participants it was a great opportunity to gain a new qualification and knowledge that could help them pursue future employment opportunities.

One of the key outcomes of the initiative was the emergence of a new tenant ambassador, a resident who, after completing the course, has taken on a proactive role in informing and educating others within the community.

Amanda Garrard, Chief Executive of Berneslai Homes, added: “Keeping tenants safe is our main priority and we’re proud to share those values with the team at EN:Able Communities. That shared focus brought us together to deliver a practical and informative training programme designed with tenants in mind.

“Developed with prevention at its core, the initiative also reflects our commitment to investing in residents, giving them the knowledge to spot early signs of damp and the confidence to take simple, practical steps to protect their homes and health long before issues escalate. By recognising these early signs, residents also feel more comfortable reporting concerns, allowing us to deal with the issue preventing long-term damage to homes and health.”

The scheme was made possible through £5,000 in funding secured by Barnsley Council via the Better Barnsley Bonds, a scheme designed to drive local improvements and build stronger, more resilient communities.

With early outcomes already visible, from increased tenant participation to knowledge transfer in the wider community, the programme is now being seen as a blueprint for social housing. Having piloted the initiative in Barnsley, the collaboration between Berneslai Homes and EN:Able Communities is already demonstrating how local action can drive durable change.

PICTURED ABOVE: first pilot training workshop for Berneslai Homes tenants