Community Resilience and Recovery

05/01/2023

It occurs to me that I need to let you all know that Leva Consulting is largely dormant for now. I’ve taken on the role of leading the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience and am loving it! My ‘Our Community’ cards are still available to support disaster planning work in communities. So much to do… it is so exciting to continue my work by joining the Institute.

The Australian Institute Disaster Resilience develops, maintains and shares knowledge and learning to support a disaster resilient Australia.

08/09/2022

On my final day with the Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience team, I can now share the educational resources that I've been part of developing. With my colleague Jamie, we have worked with Cool Australia to build these lesson plans and associated Teacher PD. I hope there will be more like these. I'm so proud of what we have developed.

New educational teaching resources to teach global warming. Australia has experienced increasingly frequent, intense, repeated, and now overlapping shocks such as fires, floods, and drought.

30/03/2022

It has been very satisfying to work with Cool Australia, to develop the first group of lessons plans for Years 7-8 students. We are working together to create a generational shift, to develop leadership skills and a strong understanding of resilience in these kids. More lessons are coming.... in English, Geography, Art and Design, Heath and for Primary Schools.

07/03/2022

Wonderful to see this taskforce established and supported. A great group of people who will advocate for the fabulous work artists do and the essential role they play in building disaster resilience.

National Taskforce for Creative Recovery > Working Together to Build Resilient Communities

We are pleased to announce the members of The National Taskforce for Creative Recovery - a cross-industry collaboration that brings together a group of key influencers in disaster management, mental health, government and the arts to forge pathways for new thinking in response to the unprecedented challenges being faced by communities.

Led by Creative Recovery Network and chaired by Collin Sivalingum (Red Cross Queensland), the taskforce will build greater understanding of the role of culture and the arts in strengthening recovery capability and advocate for its inclusion in the vital work of disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

We welcome the Taskforce members and look forward to a productive collaboration. Read more at this link >> https://creativerecovery.net.au/national-taskforce-for-creative-recovery/

Image Credit // photo by Scotia Monkivitch for the Lockyer Valley Land Art project

07/11/2021

This morning the Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience team is excited to launch the Australian Resilience Corps. The ARC is designed to create a large focused volunteer force, with a desire to have volunteers work in communities well before fire or flood season arrives. This platform brings together our most trusted volunteering and disaster related organisations across Australia. The resulting volunteer corps will be active across the nation preparing homes, people and communities, to reduce the impact and harm that disasters cause. We are hoping Aussies will register on the site, undertake the training modules to learn more about disasters and resilience, and become active in their own community or in communities across the country. Take a look to find out more. (And yes, this is an indication that I've joined the team long term. I'll be leading the Resilient Communities Mission for the next few years!)

Welcome to the Australian Resilience Corps – this is the place where willing hands are connected to volunteering partners who need help on the ground. A place where help is directed to where it is needed most.

20/07/2021

I'm delighted to say that I've joined Minderoo for a few months. If all goes well, it may be for longer than that. I am helping the Leadership team clarify and strengthen the role of Community Resilience Mission Lead - we have an ambitious plan to lift the resilience of communities spread across the country, and I'm delighted to have a part to play in making that happen.
My daily question is to ask myself, what difference can I and the team make, to support communities through the winter floods and before the next fire season. Wish me luck!

Highly resilient communities tend to have healthy social fabric, diverse and vibrant economies, and robust built environments.