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New funding for place-based collaborative action plan will strengthen disaster and climate resilience in Yarra Ranges and Campaspe communities

Publication date: 8 June 2023

Yesterday, the Commonwealth Government’s National Emergency Management Agency announced the successful applicants from Round One of the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF). The DRF is a new Australian Government disaster risk reduction initiative that will fund a diverse set of large scale and long-term resilience projects in partnership with states and territories.

Jesuit Social Services is delighted to announce that our own Centre for Just Places, in partnership with Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC), ARC Justice and the Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria (FCLC), has been awarded $1.8 million in funding to facilitate a collaborative action planning process to reduce disaster and climate vulnerability and strengthen place-based resilience in the Yarra Ranges and Campaspe communities. The project includes funding to support implementation of priorities identified through the planning process.

“This project seeks to recognise where existing and future disaster and climate change risks exist, and will support a network of place-based organisations in the Yarra Ranges and Campaspe Shire to build resilience through collaborative action,” says Jesuit Social Services CEO Julie Edwards.

The project will engage up to 40 organisations in each region, including community service organisations, community legal services, health services, emergency management and local Government, increasing the capacity and capability of local organisations to prepare for and respond collaboratively to disaster risks and hazards.

“Cross sector coalitions will be developed in each region to design and implement a Collaborative Action Plan as a shared vision and guide for strategic action on disaster and climate resilience,” says Ms Edwards.

The project scales up a collaborative action planning process the Centre for Just Places first developed and tested in Melbourne’s west – a project which brought together more than 44 local community service and health organisations and local stakeholders, resulting in a Collaborative Action Plan which was the first of its kind in Australia.

Media enquiries: Kathryn Kernohan, 0409 901 248 or kathryn.kernohan@jss.org.au

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