Southern Cross University Report: ‘Community Sector Involvement in Disaster Management’

“Community can be agile in a way the government cannot and will never be able to be.”

“There will always be the need for government and community-led groups to work alongside one another.”

A new report Community Sector Involvement in Disaster Management has been published by Southern Cross University, highlighting the critical role NGO services played in the Northern Rivers floods and the need for greater community sector involvement in disaster preparedness and planning.

The research was undertaken in collaboration with NCOSS and place-based services active in the Northern Rivers flood response and recovery.

The report includes a cross-jurisdiction analysis of Australian and international disaster management practices, a review of examples of how NGOs have been working with government in disaster management in Australian jurisdictions and overseas, and the results of a series of focus groups held with local NGOs across the Northern Rivers.

The Community Sector Involvement in Disaster Management Report is available free to download and share through Creative Commons. Donnarumma, S., Doyle, K., & Russ, E. (2023). Community sector involvement in disaster management. Lismore, Southern Cross University. https://doi.org/10.25918/report.315