WACOSS Wins Disaster Resilience Grant
June 26, 2017
With the effects of climate change already increasing the severity of weather events, it has never been more important for community organisations to plan for continuing services in the wake of natural disasters.
Our clients are among the most vulnerable when there is a sustained heat wave, a cyclone or a bushfire. But what would happen to our services if we were without power, buildings damaged, roads flooded and communications down? How quickly can we get back up and running when our staff are also affected?
These are questions that the Resilient Community Organisations Toolkit helps us answer. The Toolkit was developed by ACOSS as an on-line resource following extensive research and consultation with community sector.
The WACOSS training in use of the Toolkit will get under way in September following some intensive planning with regional and Metro organisations to design and schedule the one-day workshops.
If you are interested in having the workshop (which can accommodate up to 22 people from organisations in each location) in your area, please contact Stuart Reid at stuart@wacoss.org.au
Stuart is WACOSS Manager Projects and Business Development. He will be delivering the workshops and managing the project. His own experience of natural disasters includes spending his 21st birthday in Darwin on Christmas Day 1974 when Cyclone Tracy devastated the town.
The Natural Disaster Resilience Grants Program was highly competitive with 41 applications received.
One of the strengths of the WACOSS application was the high level of in-kind support provided, including from ACOSS, Good Shepherd Micro-Finance and the WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry.WACOSS is very grateful for their support and looks forward to working with them in development of the training.
