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DisasterWISE: Building Momentum – Reflecting on 2024

As the DisasterWISE Communities Network approaches a significant milestone, we find ourselves reflecting on the transformative journey that brought us here. DisasterWISE has evolved into a bold, community-led learning network that is growing a movement centred in connection, peer to peer learning and advocacy for change.

Our purpose is to connect people and communities so they can learn from one another and collectively drive real change. This year, we’ve witnessed the network transform from a conceptual project to a hive of connection and activity.

This year marks the final year of the Fire to Flourish network project. It’s a valuable time to look back on what we have learned through 2024 and set some good intentions for the year ahead as we set the network up for future success as an independent company with broader collaborative partners to steward the network’s vision and principles.

It’s been ‘action stations’ at DisasterWISE over the past year – here are just some of the highlights;

ChangeFest 2024

In March, we joined over 500 changemakers on Latji Latji Country in Mildura for ChangeFest. DisasterWISE co-presented a session on reimagining disaster response, drawing on place-based action and community-driven insights. It was a powerful moment of connection and shared learning.

Launch of Story for Purpose

Developed in partnership with members of the Mallacoota community, Story for Purpose is a DisasterWISE initiative that harnesses the power of storytelling to drive community-led disaster resilience. It centers lived experiences, Indigenous knowledges and local wisdom to challenge dominant disaster recovery narratives and amplify community voives. By telling ‘our stories, our way’, Story for Purpose strengthens collective agency, deepens understanding of systemic challenges, engages peer to peer learning and inspires community-led action.

AIDR/AFAC Conference on Gadigal Country

At Resilience Lane, we launched the “Story for Purpose” initiative, engaging over 300 delegates and sharing a zine to spread awareness about DisasterWISE’s mission. The network team and members of the Network Action Group worked tirelessly over the duration of the conference, connecting and conversing with visitors to the innovative Resilience Lane outside the DisasterWISE ‘general store’.

Online Get-Togethers

The online discussions brought together over 520 registrants last year to explore topics like community responses to Cyclone Jasper, food security, and reflections from the NIDR Gathering. These sessions connect lived experience with agency, government, and research perspectives to challenge mindsets and expand understanding.

NIDR Gathering on Bundjalung Country

The NIDR Gathering in Lismore demonstrated the strength of self-determined, community-led resilience. In September, local Elders, leaders and participants from across Australia shared powerful stories of recovery shaped by their own experiences and cultural ways of knowing. From grassroots disaster preparedness to local relief networks, the gathering highlighted how resilience is cultivated from within communities, with support from allies as needed. Congrats to the team at NIDR for bringing the memorable event to life.

 

DisasterWISE Book Club

Members came together to reflect on diverse resources, sharing a space to exchange insights and deepen understanding of climate-induced and human-made disasters. The Book Club was launched late last year and we look forward to seeing this member-driven initiative bloom.

Launch of the Interactive Learning Platform

The new DisasterWISE learning platform represents a significant leap forward in creating an inclusive space for community-led dialogue within the disaster ecosystem. With resources, forums and monthly blogs, it’s designed to enable members to connect, participate and contribute to shaping the inclusive culture and knowledge sharing system.

Thank-you

Heartfelt thanks go to the Network Action Group members Ronnie Ayliffe, Sabrina Davis, Scott Lamshed, Alison Stone and Pete Williams for their enduring commitment to DisasterWISE. Beginning as co-designers in the early days of the network’s development, the NAG volunteers have continued to provide time and efforts into shaping the foundations of the community-led network.

A massive thank-you to co-convenor Steve Cameron and project co-ordinator Monika Correa for bringing your knowledge and expertise to this important work.

An invitation

We invite you to explore our new platform, share your ideas, and join us in shaping the future of DisasterWISE. This year the network continues to scale out (and deep) to engage more broadly, offering member-driven opportunities for people across the country to connect, learn, and grow from one another’s lived and learned experiences.

This year marks an exciting transition as DisasterWISE establishes itself as an independent entity to steward the network’s principles, vision and continued impact. We are also actively seeking collaborative partners to support the next chapter. Together, we can amplify the power of community-led action and drive real change.

If you would like to learn more about any of the above initiatives, drop us a line at connect@diasterwise.com.au

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