e-Blast: New Toolkit and Framework to help deliver more inclusive responses for people with disability in disaster
Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR)
Making the way we prepare, respond and recover from disasters more inclusive of people with disability is a key issue, especially as Queenslanders are in the midst of a significant natural disaster event with the bushfires across the state. It is positive to see Queensland is part of this leading work on the international stage. This work is delivering a framework and on the ground change for inclusive approaches and practices that place people with disability in the drivers seat of their own planning and preparation, and embed ways of working collaboratively with the community and disability services sectors, emergency services, and local disaster management teams across local and state government in communities across Queensland.
The Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Toolkit for Queensland has been funded by the Queensland Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors. It has been delivered in partnership with Queenslanders with Disability Network, the Centre for Disability Research and Policy at the University of Sydney , Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors, , and the Community Services Industry Alliance.
During May 2019 and June 2019, QDN worked with the University of Sydney to deliver on cross sector engagement across four Local Government Areas (Brisbane, Townsville, Ipswich and Rockhampton) in a series of consultations. The consultations brought together over 250 people with disability, family members and support workers, emergency services, local council, disability service providers and community organisations to share their insights about how to make disaster planning, management and recovery inclusive of the diverse needs and experiences of people with disability. This work has assisted the development of the framework and toolkit.
The Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Toolkit provides a roadmap for people with disability, community and disability support services, and local disaster management to work together to co-design DIDRR innovations, implement, and evaluate their impact on decreasing risk and increasing the resilience of people with disability to disaster.
Minister for Communities and Minister for Disability Services and Seniors Coralee O’Rourke launched the Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Toolkit on 3 December 2019. “I’m delighted to launch these important resources today, on International Day for People with Disability, as they will pave the way to help Queenslanders with disability, and the organisations that support them, be better prepared for future disasters,” Mrs O’Rourke said.
Click here to download the Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Toolkit.
Click here to go to the media release.
Click here to access the Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Facebook page.