Community-Led Disaster Resilience Model

Creating an effective disaster resilience community engagement model is a challenge that requires collaboration between external organisations and disaster-affected communities. Emergency agencies, governments, not-for-profits, and small businesses want to support regional communities in preparing for future natural hazards. The scale of fires and floods is beyond any one actor’s capacity to solve alone. Our response as a nation has been reactionary, but we must adapt to new environmental challenges by engaging affected communities well before disaster strikes. The challenge is agreeing upon a model that works with all relevant stakeholders and their approaches to the situation.

Australian Business Volunteers saw the opportunity to assist in the disaster resilience sector after the 2019/2020 black summer bushfires by applying international humanitarian principles which ABV has tested over 40 years working in the Pacific. At the heart of ABV’s approach is community consultation, a process that involves engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, including councils, chambers of commerce, regional emergency services, local leaders, small businesses, and fellow not-for-profits. This inclusive approach ensures that each community’s unique needs and perspectives are not just heard, but deeply considered in disaster resilience planning, making every voice feel valued and important.

Over the last four years, ABV has collaborated with 19 communities across five Local Government Areas, completing over 60 resilience projects. Achievements include successful grant submissions that provided funding for community initiatives equating to over $10m, tourism development workshops to boost local economies, and establishing partnerships between Local Aboriginal Land Councils and land management agencies to make cultural burning an accessible service. ABV also hosted community-wide hazard mapping sessions with Disaster Relief Australia in Eden and Tumbarumba. ABV’s volunteers have contributed 4,400 hours of expertise to mentor, upskill and support communities positively impacting economic growth and resilience.

The cornerstone of ABV’s success is our Five Phase Model. 1. Community Consultation – ABV scopes out initial opportunities with the community to understand the region and assess viability. This is a foundational trust-building stage, which other agencies often skip. 2. Place-Based Engagement – ABV enters the community to identify unique risks, drawing on local knowledge and resources. ABV works with communities to develop consensus and goals on mitigation strategies, hazard reduction, and preparedness. 3. Holding Space and Bridging – Facilitators create social safety by ‘holding space’ for communities and stakeholders to initiate conversations. 4. Sharing Specialist Knowledge and Skilled Resources – Due to a shortage of specialist skills in regional communities our skilled volunteers provide the experience to move projects forward. ABV also builds cross-sectoral partnerships, strengthening existing networks, and bringing together key stakeholders, including non-traditional actors, such as corporates. 5. Reflect, Review and Accountability – ABV undertakes regular sessions with stakeholders to continuously improve practice and identify barriers. Regular reviews of project inputs and outputs against desired outcomes, intentional learning and measuring the social return on investment ensures positive community impact and holds ABV accountable to communities and funders. We then feed this learning and evidence into our advocacy work.