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 Arrangements. Their community support programs, services and social cohesion activities strengthen communities to prepare for and respond to disasters.
Neighbourhood and Community Centres also respond directly during disasters by providing emergency relief, coordinating evacuation, providing reliable information and opening centres to other services for emergency grant applications. Additionally, neighbourhood 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 2023-2026
Alongside Neighbourhood Centres across Queensland, Neighbourhood Centres Queensland are proud to have officially launched the Queensland Neighbourhood Centres Strategy for Disaster Resilience 2023-2026!
The launch event was held on Monday 10th July at the at the NCQ Growing Resilience Forum on the Gold Coast, with over 100 neighbourhood centres and disaster resilience stakeholders in attendance.
The four strategic priorities include:
1. Raise awareness and recognition
2. Strengthen relationships and collaboration
3. Influence policy and shaping funding programs
4. Learning and development
The strategy is significant in that it establishes an evidence base on the role and the significance of neighbourhood and community Centres in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Co-developed with neighbourhood centres, it outlines key strategies to provide a collective vision and clarified direction for action across the sector.
This State Strategy provides:
- Shared priority strategies for Neighbourhood and Community Centres at the local level and NCQ at the state level to strengthen approaches towards supporting disaster-affected communities within the broader disaster management systems
- Government and non-governmental organisations and services greater awareness of how NCCs can, do and could further contribute to the disaster management sector, and
- Evidence and analysis to researchers on NCCs role and value, along with challenges and opportunities, in supporting disaster-affected communities.
The three original 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 Australian and Queensland Governments through the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund 2020-21.
