October is Weatherization Month! In California, weatherization is funded primarily through two federal programs: the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is overseen by the Office of Community Services (OCS) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) administers both programs in the state and contracts with a network of local service providers, including Community Action Agencies, to deliver services to households.
Weatherizing a home can involve many things: upgrading or repairing cooling and heating systems to ensure they run safely and efficiently, sealing air gaps around doors and windows, and installing weatherstripping and insulation materials to both protect from outside weather and to save energy in the home, lowering the client’s energy bill.
Weatherization also depends on people trained to do the work. Each repaired furnace and each sealed window is done by crews who know the trade and the community they serve. Some Community Action Agencies have built their weatherization programs around that idea, creating opportunities that strengthen homes and can also prepare the next generation of workers.
In recognition of Weatherization Month, CalCAPA aims to highlight one of these agencies, Community Services Employment Training (CSET), and their Sequoia Community Corps program. In an interview with Nora Carrillo, the Energy Services Department Director, CalCAPA learned how the Corps trains young adults through weatherization work and what that work means for the families in their homes.
Pairing weatherization services with workforce training isn’t the only way to deliver this work. Why did CSET choose this model, what does it make possible, and what’s been the hardest to get right?
Carrillo: CSET was looking for opportunities to assist the community by getting young adults involved in the trade. Sparking this interest while teaching them good work ethic helps students become accustomed to the industry, and they get paid for the work they do. This program is often paired with another under the CSET umbrella: the John Muir Charter School, where students can simultaneously pursue their high school diplomas alongside their weatherization certifications. The only potential obstacle might be that a student doesn’t feel particularly connected to the weatherization trade; after all, it isn’t easy work and off-site training environments aren’t suitable for everyone. When this occurs however, students are often referred to the CalRecycle program; another branch of Sequoia Community Corps, in which corps members operate recycling services and buyback centers. This alternative trade offers corps members another option to participate in the Sequoia Community Corps program.
What do you look for when bringing a young adult into the Sequoia Community Corps, and what do they leave with when they finish? Is there a former corps member whose path has stayed with you?
Carrillo: Eligible applicants are between 18 and 26 years old and typically fall into two categories: those who have already earned their diploma before the program, and those striving for both their diploma and certification. Regardless, they always gain hands-on experience working side-by-side with subcontractors to complete their work, eventually earning an industry-recognized certification. This not only assists their hands-on training, but also ignites their passion for community service after gaining a deeper understanding of the struggles their community members face.
Many program alumni stay close to the wonderful support system and community established at CSET, with some even earning permanent positions at the agency. One stand-out story is one of our corps member alumni, who not only finished his certification, but was also picked up by a sub-contractor when a position became available. He has since stayed very involved in the CSET community and wishes to give back the same opportunity he received, to a new corps member down the line.
Beyond lowering energy bills, what do families tell you has changed after their home has been weatherized?
Carrillo: Families tell us that life really has changed for them since their home was weatherized. They tell us that one less struggle truly makes a difference in their everyday lives. When the A/C or heater goes out in someone’s home, they don’t always have the necessary means to deal with HVAC repairs. That’s why this program is important; our clients often tell us they are forever thankful for our teams fixing a problem they might have been dealing with for a prolonged time. Having the right staff and corps members also helps build meaningful relationships with our community members.
How do you connect the work done inside a single home to the larger environmental picture in the Valley? And how does weatherization fit with the Corps’ other conservation work?
Carrillo: The Sequoia Community Corps assists in conservation education through hands-on training experience. Corps members learn energy-saving techniques while weatherizing homes and, in turn, can pass these tips on to educate clients. When corps members see the results firsthand, they better learn the community’s needs. Many corps members even transition into both the Recycling program and the Urban Forestry program offered. In doing so, all participants do their part to help the Earth.
What do you wish people outside the Community Action network understood about weatherization, and if you had more capacity next year, where would you want to take the program?
Carrillo: We want more people to know how truly impactful these changes are to the clients’ lives. This undoubtedly saves them energy and partially lowers monthly expenses. Not everyone can afford HVAC bills, so the help offered lifts a weight from those who receive it. We are here to serve our community’s needs.
When we gain more capacity in the future, our goal is to bring more resources in-house. Most HVAC and water heater work is contracted externally. If we could facilitate an option to bring those operations in-house, it would result in more corps jobs, more staff and more households assisted through Sequoia Community Corps.
CSET’s work shows what weatherization can mean for a community: safer and more comfortable homes, lower energy costs for families, and a path into a trade for young adults who want to serve their neighbors. This Weatherization Month and on Weatherization Day, October 30, CalCAPA recognizes CSET and the weatherization programs across our network that do this work every day.
“Weatherization is one of the few programs that pays off twice in the same house. A family gets a safer, more affordable home, and a person gets a paycheck and a trade. CSET’s Sequoia Community Corps shows what’s possible when Community Action Agencies build both into the same program.” says David Knight, Executive Director, CalCAPA
If you or someone you know in Tulare County is interested in joining the Sequoia Community Corps program or needs energy assistance, visit CSET’s website to see if you qualify. LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is available in most Community Action Agencies, and your specific local agency will best be able to provide assistance for your situation. Use our Agency Lookup Tool to locate your nearest energy service provider.