Join AIDR, and the Collaborating4Inclusion project team as we invite expert speakers to explore how government, emergency services, people with disability and the services that support them are working together to put person-centered and capability-focused approaches to DIDRR into action.

Webinar one: Actions government and emergency services can take on DIDRR

For too long, disability has been kept in the ‘too-hard basket’. Emergency personnel have not had the right tools to support meaningful inclusion, participation and tailored planning for disasters; community, health and disability service providers have not been integrated into emergency planning; and people with disability have been overlooked in emergency management policies and practice decisions. Confusion persists about who takes responsibility for people with disability in emergencies.

This webinar will focus on the role and contributions of Australian government and emergency services to developing DIDRR at the local community level. Through case studies, we will explore approaches that government and emergency personnel are using to put people with disability and their support needs at the centre of inclusive emergency management policy, planning and practice.

Guest speakers

Michelle Villeneuve, Associate Professor & Deputy Director, Centre for Disability Research and Policy, The University of Sydney

Angela Cook, Senior Engagement Advisor, People at Higher Risk, Victorian Country Fire Authority

Panel of Research Projects from PhD Candidates from The University of Sydney Impact Centre for Disability Research and Policy:

• Michael Morris
• Brigit Maguire
• Louise Mitchell

Wendy Graham, Program Lead, Regional Recovery Exercising Program, National Emergency Management Agency

Webinar host

Margaret Moreton, Executive Director, Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience

About Collaborating4Inclusion

The Collaborating4Inclusion research team works in partnership with government and emergency services, people with disability, and the services that support them to co-produce collaborative action so that nobody is left behind when disasters strike.

The Leave Nobody Behind project has been working across New South Wales and Nationally to develop research, policy, and practice that builds cross-sector community capacity to ensure that nobody is left behind when disasters strike. The final tranche in the project will be the development of a national framework for cross-sector collaborative action on DIDRR, supported and enabled by co-produced tools that everyone can use.

Webinar two: Actions that people with disability and their representatives can take on DIDRR

17 April 2023 | Register here

The biggest risk to safety and well-being of people with disability in emergencies is their exclusion from emergency management practices and policy decision-making.

Organisations of People with Disability (OPDs), Carer Organisations, and Advocacy Organisations can play a significant role in disaster policy, planning and interventions. Through their lived experience, leadership, and roles as disability advocates, these groups represent the voice and perspective of their members. With in-depth understanding of the factors that increase risk for people with disability in emergencies, they also have access to informal networks of support and communication. This information is not readily available within mainstream emergency management. 

In this webinar, we will listen and learn from people with disability, OPDs, carer representatives and advocates to learn about how they are taking action on DIDRR. We will share case studies that showcase how to keep people with disability and their support needs at the centre of Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR). We will consider peer-led approaches, implementation challenges and how they are being tackled, and what needs to happen next.

Webinar three: Actions that service providers can take on DIDRR

15 May 2023 | Registrations coming soon

Community, health and disability service providers (e.g., paid service providers and volunteers) are an untapped local community asset with potential to increase safety and well-being for people with disability in emergencies. Harnessing this potential is a complex challenge. 

This webinar will share how Australian service providers are taking action on Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) in diverse service delivery contexts with different service delivery models, funding arrangements, and workforce capacity. We will share effective practices for linking personal emergency preparedness of people with disability (and other high-risk groups) to organisational preparedness and service continuity of the services that support them. 

We will share case studies that showcase current progress, specific actions, implementation challenges and how they are being tackled, and what needs to happen next.

Webinar four: Learnings from DIDRR Framework for Action

Dates and further information to come

In the final webinar, we will bring the puzzle pieces together to share a multi-sector DIDRR Framework for Action that has been built from the ground up.

EMPS CPD Hours

This webinar has been approved for EMPS Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points. The webinar has been allocated 1.5 hours of CPD.
For more information about EMPS CPD and to find out if you are eligible for EMPS CPD visit emps.org.au