President’s Update

Welcome to the September 2019 edition of the AWE Newsletter.

August saw almost 4000 people attend the AFAC19 Conference including many AWE members who proudly wore their badges and caught up over coffees, conference sessions and an AWE dinner.

In his introduction to the Conference, Rob Cameron OAM, the Director-General of Emergency Management Australia stated:

Our population continues to change and evolve as our nation grows, bringing both a strength in diversity and an increasing importance in ensuring that our collective disaster resilience efforts reach the many, not the few.

The strength of AWE lies in the diversity of its membership and in our collective efforts across a range of sectors, including:
·        communities and individuals
·        all levels of government
·        emergency service organisations
·        non-government organisations
·        community and social service organisations
·        community groups
·        educational institutions
·        private sector including large corporations and small businesses

We’re really proud of all our AWE members as they work toward resilience for all Australians.

We’re also very excited to launch a new AWE GoFundMe campaign! Money raised will help support AWE and deliver a range of member benefits. More information on the GoFundMe campaign is below.

AWE Crowd Funding Campaign – October 2019

Get excited for the AWE Network October Crowdfunder

At the AWE Network, we believe in connecting, promoting and recognising women’s contributions to emergency management and disaster resilience.

The AWE Network has grown fast and demonstrated that women across our region see the value in being supported by our network. We want to offer you more, and to make this possible we will be running a crowdfunder in October. To find out more and become an early supporter, you can head to our link and make a contribution.

In the News

Faye Bendrups – Recipient of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2019

Congratulations to AWE Member, Faye Bendrups who has been nominated by the VicSESVA Chair David Rowlands, in the Diversity and Inclusion category, for her work in the Emergency Services sector. Faye says David has been an unwavering support for me, for all SES volunteers and for the developing of the sector in general; thank you so much David.

Faye’s volunteering includes being a local frontline responder for VICSES Footscray (15 years), Vice-Chair of the National SES Volunteers Association, Secretary of the Victoria SES Volunteers Association, Alumni officer of the Emergency Services Foundation, as well as numerous committees and working groups with AFAC, EMV, and many others.

Most recently, Faye and Gordon Hall (Chair NSESVA) presented a paper on Women in the SES: Reshaping Dynamics at the AFAC19 conference and advocated for cultural change and increased diversity. See  https://www.afac.com.au/events/proceedings/29-08-19/article/109.-women-in-the-ses-reshaping-dynamics. They challenged the sector to move from a male-dominated sector to a balance of 40-40-20 (40% female, 40% male, 20% from any gender or non-binary identification).

Faye says, “I would like to link this honour to the many, many people I work with (both volunteering and paid) and that such awards are recognition of larger projects that just one person.”

“I am sure this ‘100 Women of Influence’ award will enable me to build on this work to showcase great women in emergency services and support the cause for greater diversity and inclusion. This award will also enable me to further promote the value of all volunteers and of SES volunteers in particular.”

“The work I do is collaborative and I am far from being a lone voice in trying to improve womens’, and other diverse groups’, opportunities and participation in the sector. It may sound trite to reiterate the mantra ‘this award is for all of us’ but I believe it is. I would not have been able to do what I have done without the constant, collaborative, community-centred, caring people who have all contributed to developing the sector, my roles and skills, and those of others.
And especially to my friends and family: my time has been so dedicated to helping others. This cannot be done without the support of people close to me, and your moral support is as important as the task of volunteering itself.
Thank you everyone, Faye”

https://www.afr.com/women-of-influence

Charmaine Dalton – Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal

 
AWE WA Chapter Co-Lead Charmaine Dalton has received the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal presented in Canberra by The Governor General of Australia His Excellency General (Retd) David Hurley AC DSC. This was for recognition for work in Liberia and Sierra Leone during the 2014-2015 Ebola Epidemic (Public Health Emergency of International concern) where over 11,000 people died.  These countries were still recovering from the Civil War when Ebola arrived. She was fortunate to have the opportunity to develop capacity in my role as Chief Nurse by establishing a 100 bed Ebola Treatment Unit and training local health workers, hygienists and expatriate staff.

Congratulations Charmaine, great achievement.

AWE members win Awards at AFAC19

 
Amanda Lamont, Christine Hangar, Blythe McLennan, Georgina Goodrich

Congratulations to AWE member Christine Hangar from CFA who won the Laure Lavell Award at the AFAC19 conference. Christina is championing new ways to undertake community engagement and empowering volunteers and staff through new programs, training and recruitment practices.

Also celebrating were Blythe McLennan and Amanda Lamont who won the BNHCRC award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Utilisation for their work, alongside AWE member, Anne Leadbeater, on the Communities Responding to Disasters: Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers Handbook which is part of the Australian Disaster Resilience handbook Collection. Blythe and Amanda were able to celebrate with other AWE members who also worked on the project at the Melbourne AWE dinner.

 
Lucy Saroni, Amanda Lamont, Christine Hangar, Blythe McLennan and Georgina Goodrich

How to Create 100 Human Workplaces – NZ

Our NZ Chapter leads, Jolie Wills and Elizabeth McNaughton have published a case study in Virgin Unite’s 100% Human at Work book of experiments. The publication brings together case studies of innovative practices looking towards the future of work where workplaces are more human. The case study is their work with Ravensdown (a NZ fertiliser company) and well worth a read, along with the many other great case studies in the book. Below is a link.  https://www.virgin.com/virgin-unite/how-create-100-human-workplaces

Case Study from Carwoola – what does community led recovery look like?

AWE member, Zoe D’Arcy, NSW SES was recently published in the Fire and Adapted Communities Learning Network – you can read her interesting story here https://fireadaptednetwork.org/what-does-community-led-recovery-look-like-a-case-study-from-the-carwoola-2017-bush-fire/. Zoe D’Arcy is a Planning and Research Officer with the New South Wales State Emergency Service in Australia. She is also at the beginning her PhD journey. Her research topic is “The ‘fire-adapted community’: Reframing the wicked problem of bushfires in the Australian landscape.”

Why diversity and inclusion matter

AWE member Celeste Young is the co-author of a new BNHCRC report Risky business: Why diversity and inclusion matter. The report finds that emergency management organisations need diverse and inclusive workforces to reflect the increasing diversification of communities if they are to be sustainable into the future. If managed and implemented poorly, diversity and inclusion can create risks and increase impacts. However effective management of diversity and implementation of inclusion serves to reduce risk, enhance service delivery and build resilience.

When natural disaster strikes, men and women respond differently

New research from the US finds that there are many barriers that disadvantage women in the event of a disaster, leaving them behind when it comes to decision-making and potentially slowing down their recovery.

Supporting children after natural and human induced disasters

When a community mobilises to recover from the effects of trauma, it is important not to overlook the specific needs of children. Children depend on the adults around them for safety and security. In the event of a disaster, they will need reassurance, care and opportunities to share their stories. In a new webinar, AWE members Nicola Palfrey and Michelle Roberts discuss the specific interventions that cater for the developmental needs of children recovering from community trauma. It presented findings from research on what helps children to recover and provide case studies from the field.

Speaker Opportunity – Disaster Management Conference – 2019

The Disaster Management Conference is targeted at owners of critical infrastructure in the utilities, infrastructure and government sectors, with emphasis on providing delegates with the information and tools to ensure they can prepare for, survive, and then thrive in the face of disaster. You can read more about the event at here https://disaster-management.com.au/.

The speaker program is currently being finalised and more female speakers are being sought for the event. If you or any colleagues are interested please contact Laura by emailing [email protected]

7NEWS Young Achiever Awards VIC

The Young Achiever Awards aim to acknowledge, encourage and most importantly promote the positive achievements of all young people in Victoria up to and including 29 years of age.
Nominations are now open in the following categories:
·         Saward Dawson Community Service and Social Impact Award
·         The Victorian Government Group Achievement in the Community Award
·         First National Real Estate Leadership Award
·         Budget Car and Truck Rentals Online Achievement Award
·         Kangan Institute Inspirational TAFE Student Award
·         The Bridge Create Change Award
·         IKON Services Environmental Sustainability Award
·         Luminary Tech Visionary Award
·         Generation Us Small Business Achiever Award

If you would like to recognise an AWE member or other colleague or friend, provide their contact details here and the organisers will get in contact with them, and have them complete the questions online.  Visit the website to find out more.

Nominations close Friday 13th December, 2019

Events

Social events

We think women supporting women is a good excuse to get together, so keep an ear out for contact from your Chapter Lead about any social events near you throughout October. 13 October is the International Day for Disaster Reduction, so our get-togethers will include a discussion around that theme.

Meet up program

Are you interested in connecting with other women working in emergencies or disaster resilience? It’s as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Send your name, email and phone number to [email protected]
2. We will match you up with another AWE Network member and connect you via email.
3. Get in touch with your new friend to organise a face-to-face, phone or video chat. We will even provide a set of questions to help guide your conversation!

For bonus points, send us a snap (or screenshot!) of your catch up or tag us on social media and we’ll share it on our social media channels so we can all put faces to names.

• Twitter – @network_awe
• Facebook – @AWENetwork
• Instagram – @awe-network
• LinkedIn – @awe_network

New South Wales

Schedule of Events for 2019 

Resilience Through Shared Information and Collaborative Engagement, CIFAL Newcastle – 1^st October

Recent emergency response reviews have identified challenges, barriers and problems linked to public information and engagement. In reaction to identified challenges, barriers and problems, CIFAL Newcastle in collaboration with the City of Newcastle invites you to this workshop which aims to:

• review current process adopted by emergency services, local authorities, community organisations etc. for sharing information and public engagement.
• determine the extent to which current processes facilitate effective public information and engagement
• explore possible solutions that contribute to resilience.

This is a unique collaborative opportunity to collectively identify and map relevant partners to support public information goals and work through recently identified challenges regarding resilience during emergencies.
This event is best suited for policy makers, community leaders, local council officials, emergency management professionals and academics.

Register here  workshop-tickets-67941885007

CIFAL Newcastle – a United Nations affiliated training centre would like to use this opportunity to invite you to a free workshop to explore solutions around challenges, barriers and problems linked to public information and engagement prior to, during and after emergencies.

Regional NSW Disaster Risk Reduction Symposium 2019

How can emergency services, community service organisations, local government, and businesses work together for a stronger, safer NSW?

This year the NSW Disaster Risk Reduction Symposium explores how private, public, and community sectors can further utilise available resources and expertise across sectors – and work together to reduce the impacts of disasters.
Hear from leading practitioners on how public-private-community partnerships are working for them, network with those in your region, discover what resources and funding opportunities may be available to you, and learn how you too can partner to reduce disaster risk.

Visit emergency.nsw.gov.au/drrsymposium to register your place. Grants are also available to those who might not otherwise be able to attend their nearest symposium.

Places to this FREE event are limited, and we expect to reach capacity. Register early to secure your place.

Community Workshop on Emergencies for the Deaf Community – 2^nd November – Springwood

New Zealand

AWE Network – New Zealand Speaker Series 2019

Enjoy storytelling, networking and nibbles with others who want to support women working in emergencies lead and succeed.

Victoria

AWE Dinner – Horsham – Thursday 24th October – 6.30pm

For all those members in and around Horsham, you are invited to join us for an AWE Victoria regional dinner on Thursday 24^th October in Hotham.

Book here https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/australasian-women-in-emergencies-awe-network-dinner-horsham-vic-tickets-74606591323

Contact Amanda Lamont at [email protected] or Mandi Stewart at [email protected] for more details.

Women in Leadership Summit, Melbourne, 5-6 December 2019

The Women Leaders Institute provides a platform for inspiration, empowerment, and a safe place to connect and grow and the Women in Leadership Summit, brings together a community of like-minded women and men who are championing the advancement of women in leadership.
If you are interested in attending, please see the link below.
http://melbourne.womenleadersummit.com/?utm_campaign=WLS%201219%20MEL%20Lead%20Gen%203&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua&elqTrackId=96EBE84687D0067423C63653B163501C&elq=3343400ef86542e48f7826b796e000ea&elqaid=2222&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=642

AWE Chapter Updates

New South Wales

Photos from our NSW Meeting in Blue Mountains where where Mel Taylor and Kris Newton presented on ‘Emergency preparedness for animals in the Blue Mountains’.

Victoria

Over 30 AWE members from around Australia enjoyed a night out in Melbourne recently.

Membership

Member Survey

Our annual member survey is now available for all our members.

Get yourself a cuppa and take a few minutes to complete this year’s AWE member survey. We’d love to know what you think of AWE to date, what you would like and how we can best support you! Your contributions and involvement are what drives the AWE Network’s strength and success. And while we recognise that some ideas might be more aspirational or require more time to establish, we’d still love to hear them.

How is the information used? 
The survey findings help us to continue developing the AWE Network in the right direction. Through last year’s survey, members said they wanted networking opportunities, events, mentoring and advice and information. As a result, the AWE Network and Chapter Leads have been hard at work providing a range of networking opportunities and events across the country. The AWE newsletter and social media posts have been tailored to share information from across the sector, promote events of interest, and provide advice and information. Also, the national AWE committee has also been busy scoping out a mentoring program (watch this space!).

Survey ‘nuts and bolts’ (the practical bits) 
The survey is anonymous so please feel free to answer honestly. It should take around 10-15 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey before it closes on the 31st October 2019.

To start the survey, please click here.

Membership Continues to Grow

AWE membership continues to grow and we now have 1,197 members across Australia, New Zealand and further.

AWE Badges

We have new badges available for purchase in the AWE shop on the AWE website – www.awenetwork.com.au  or email [email protected]