Disaster Resilience in Queensland
Queensland is the most natural disaster affected state in Australia. Whilst Queenslanders have always responded to cyclones, floods, bushfires and drought, it is clear the frequency of these events is occurring at a more rapid rate over the past 20 years.
Research indicates the more cohesive and connected communities are, the more resilient they are to natural disasters.
Neighbourhood and Community Centres are playing an increasing role in Local Disaster Management Groups. Their social cohesion activities strengthen communities to prepare for and respond to disasters.
Neighbourhood and Community Centres also respond directly during natural disasters by providing emergency relief, coordinating evacuation, providing reliable information and opening centres to other services for emergency grant applications. Additionally, our centres are frequently involved in community recovery giving access to no interest loans, school items, low-cost food and community rebuilding activities.
Queensland Neighbourhood Centres Strategy for Disaster Resilience
Neighbourhood Centres Queensland is working with Neighbourhood Centres to develop a strategy to identify priorities that reflect common challenges and opportunities across these local organisations and their communities in the face of disasters, ranging from natural disasters to pandemics.
NCQ is developing a Queensland-wide Disaster Resilience Strategy with the Neighbourhood Centres by researching, analysing and using participatory methods to further develop and enhance this work. The overarching strategy draws on the research and issues raised in three publications: the Queensland Neighbourhood Centres Strategies for Drought, Monsoon and Bushfire Resilience.
These strategies are being used to (a) guide actions made by NCQ with Neighbourhood Centres to strengthen organisations and the community resilience across all phases of disasters; and (b) inform broader organisations and agencies of the role Neighbourhood Centres can and do play in the disaster resilience.
For further details, see the Queensland Neighbourhood Centres Strategy for Disaster Resilience Project Plan here.
Details about the three strategies can be found below:
Project Contact
For any enquiries or interest to partner, please contact CEO Em James: emjames@ncq.org.au.
Funding Partners
This project has been jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments through the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund 2020-21.
