Building resilience
We encourage our community to continue building personal resilience towards emergency events and disasters, which we know are difficult to predict or control. Our ability to adapt and respond to these experiences is known as building resilience.
Creating connected communities
A connected community is a resilient community. In the last three years, NSW has been impacted by multiple natural hazards. Research has shown that the communities that are connected and help each other prepare and respond in an emergency recover quicker and are more resilient.
Resilience Journal for disaster recovery
While emergencies and disasters are difficult to predict or control, our ability to adapt and respond to these experiences is something that we - as individuals and as a community - can actively work to develop. This is known as building resilience.
We have developed a Resilience Journal that includes information, stories and activities to build your own and your communities’ resilience. It acts as a ‘one-stop-shop’ of knowledge, resources and self-reflection, covering topics such as:
- How and when to access mental health support
- Self-care resources
- Self-assessment tools
- Journaling activities
- Emergency preparedness
This initiative is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and the NSW State Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Listen to local stories: Emergency Ready Now podcast
As a community, we’ve displayed great strength in working through these challenges together, but what do we do after they pass and how do we learn and prepare for next time?
The new Emergency Ready Now podcast shares people’s stories about disaster recovery, community and mental wellbeing to explore these questions and help us become more resilient and connected in the wake of disaster.
Explaining emergencies to children
The Central Coast can be impacted by many types of emergencies which can cause stress and anxiety, especially in young children who do not fully understand the situations.
We have been using The Birdie Tree books in our Education and Care Centres with great results in soothing anguish, concern, and reassuring children that while these emergency events do happen and may mean big changes to them, people will come and help them through it.
There are five books which we have added to our online storytime readings:
- Birdie and the virus
- Birdie and the fire
- Birdie and the flood
- Birdie and the very hot day
- Birdie and the drought
If you struggle to explain the importance of emergency preparation and resiliency to your children, watch the videos.