Disaster resilience

◤ On this page

○ Emergencies and Victoria’s community sector
○ Support for community organisations
○ Policy and projects

Key contacts
Lucy Manne, Disaster Resilience Policy Advisor

Deborah Fewster, Director Policy, Advocacy and Research

Partners

Emergencies and Victoria’s community sector 

The community and social services sector plays a critical role supporting Victorians before, during and after emergencies.  

The community sector is deeply embedded in every Victorian community, across metropolitan and regional Victoria. People trust local organisations and rely on them for vital support and information in times of crisis. 

Community organisations are crucial in supporting people at higher risk during disasters, including those experiencing poverty and disadvantage.  

This includes building disaster resilience. This means the ability of communities to reduce the impact of disasters, cope with them more effectively, and recover from them in a way that builds back better and fairer. 

VCOSS supports the community sector’s role in disaster resilience by providing opportunities for capacity building and peer learning, consulting with the sector regarding emergency management priorities, and conducting policy development and advocacy.  

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Please let us know. 

Support for the community sector

Join the VCOSS Disaster Resilience Network 

The VCOSS Disaster Resilience Network is a space for Victorian community organisations to present and discuss key lessons and best practices in disaster resilience, and share upcoming reports, consultations, and events.  

The Network meets every two months online, with updates sent in between meetings. 

To join, please sign up here or email Lucy Manne, Disaster Resilience Policy Advisor

Useful resources

Vic Emergency website and app: The Vic Emergency app and website provides a centralised location to access emergency information and warnings.

DFFH’s emergency management policy and resources: DFFH’s website contains a range of helpful resources, including:

• The social services emergency management policy
• A guide to emergency psychosocial supports
• Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness

Victorian Emergency Management Planning Toolkit for People Most at Risk: The Planning Toolkit is a practical resource providing a range of guidance and support materials, to help emergency management practitioners to consider and plan for the needs of groups of people and communities most at risk in emergencies.

The Country Fire Authority’s People at Higher Risk resources: The CFA has developed a range of resources to build the capability of the Community and Social Service Sector to develop bushfire plans with their clients at greatest risk in a bushfire.

ERV’s resource library: The Emergency Recovery Resource Portal provides a central point to access resources for the disaster recovery workforce in Victoria.

The Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: The AIDR Knowledge Hub is a national, open-source platform that supports good practice in disaster resilience.

Emergency Management plans

• The State Emergency Management Plan explains Victoria’s emergency management arrangements, including the roles of different agencies.
• Regional Emergency Management Plans can be found on the EMV website.
• Contact your local council for your Municipal Emergency Management Plan.