Welcome to the March 2020 AWE newsletter

The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing with it changes in the way we work, socialise and care for one another, and we’ve explored some of those ways with our Executive Committee members and Chapter Leads.

We’re keen to hear from you about how you and your workplace are adapting, and how you are finding new ways to connect and care. You can let us know by emailing  us or sharing on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Sunday, March 8 was International Women’s Day (IWD) and AWE members celebrated the roles of women in emergency management and disaster resilience as well as our second anniversary! AWE was thrilled to attend the Emergency Services Foundation’s inaugural IWD event where more than 400 women from across emergency services gathered to focus on the mental health and wellbeing of those women who serve and protect our state.

There is still a lot happening in our sector, particularly as the recovery from the 2019-20 bushfires continues, and people and communities begin the long journey through recovery.

The AWE Philippa Woolf Scholarship is still open – applications close on 14 April. The AWE mentoring program is due to launch soon, and we are busy planning for ways that we can connect with you and connect you with one another.

In the meantime, stay safe and healthy!

Reflections from our AWE Committee and Chapter Leads

 Alessia Anibaldi, Qld Chapter Lead

I am Italian-Australian, born in Rome, where I lived most of life until 2012 when I made Brisbane my principal place of residence. I have two children, Maya and Max, 8 and 4 years old. My husband David is Portuguese, we met in Timor Leste in 2009 and recently got married; we formalized in Australia in November 2019, but in September we had our spiritual weddings in our home towns in Italy and Portugal. I am so grateful now that we had those celebrations as we made some very special memories with our parents and friends. My dad is 87 years old; he suffers from emphysema and has a by-pass. My dad lives in Porto Santo Stefano, a delightful town in Tuscany. Whilst he loves the place, he has been trying to sell up and move for a long time now, as he can barely walk up the small steep stone streets any more, or even walk up the stairs to his front door. Now he has to walk those streets and steps alone to go and procure his food and medicines in a lockdown with no end in sight and certainly no realistic prospect of moving any time soon. If he contracts COVID-19, my sisters and I know that the chances of him surviving are close to 0.

Whilst our population in Australia is anxiously preparing for dire days, in Italy direness kicked in a long time ago. As of today (25 March), Italy has almost 70,000 confirmed cases and +6,800 deaths. In Bergamo they have had to deploy the military to carry out of town hundreds of dead by the day who cannot be buried in local cemeteries. The situation is tragic.
My sister and friends in Rome – who have been confined in their homes for just over 2 weeks now – are starting to hear about more and more acquaintances, family members, colleagues, friends being either sick or dying. It is petrifying.

Yet. Yet. In all of this there are of course silver linings – there always are. Here are ones I have noted to date, both from the recent bushfires and emergencies across Australia and the rampant crises in Italy. Frontline workers in emergencies – whether paid or volunteers – step up time and time again; they are society’s backbone, their commitment in spirit and practice an example for all. At times of crisis, people of all ideologies can come together; across the country, individuals’ responses to Australia’s bushfires were a remarkable demonstration of our people’s generosity, innovation, selflessness and again, during these increasingly dark days, we are seeing amazing community support stepping up, including online, where resources of all kinds are constantly being shared.

Nature is supreme; just days after Italy’s lockdown, swans and fish reappeared in Venice’s now crystal clear canals; dolphins are back in the newly tranquil Mediterranean port waters in Sardinia. We are witnessing a real time demo of how easily we can dramatically reduce pollution in any given part of the world; just watch the satellite images of China and Italy to believe! Empathy is alive and kicking; days ago Italian authorities called for 300 additional doctors to supplement the overwhelmed capacity in hospitals; 8000 non practicing doctors applied.

One person’s health is everybody’s health; one nation’s doom is global doom; we should keep that in mind at all times. We are all connected, for the good and the bad, just like family, the human family; and just like in any family our precious connections must be cherished and nurtured. Life is fragile; it should never be taken for granted. Nor should the possibility of giving or receiving a hug or an expression of love, support, empathy, sheer presence. “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light” (Aristotle): maybe COVID 19 is a drastic opportunity for us all to step up. To truly build back better, starting from within.

In closing, a special thank you to Australian frontline health workers from my daughter’s school.

 Charmain Dalton, WA Chapter Lead
I’ve been tasked with establishing all the WA Covid 19 GP Respiratory Clinics
so it is hectic. I also ended up being the administrator on the Facebook page: Nursing in the Time of Covid 19. 37,000 members in a week.

I’ve reluctantly become a voice of hope and reason amongst our 37,000 members who identify as healthcare professionals, based on my shared Ebola experiences. The workforce is scared and I’m doing everything I can to motivate them not to strike and walk out. The majority have lost all rational thought.

I don’t fear the virus, I fear our response to it.

 Lisa Jackson, AWE Committee
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members” – Coretta Scott King

Lets not forget at this time of social distancing to still reach out to loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbours – a call a day keeps the loneliness away.

 Amanda Lamont, AWE Vice-President
For most of 2020, I have been involved in bushfire relief and recovery efforts in New South Wales and Victoria. Working and volunteering in relief centres and recovery hubs, firefighting, training, researching, strategising … working closely alongside others, forging new friendships and building connections. I am still connected to people I met from the bushfire affected communities in south coast NSW where I was working in January. I get to meet the most interesting people in my work.  Meeting people is what I love.

The work continues. There is still much to do. But the connections are now at a distance.

Last week we closed the recovery hub in Corryong in north east Victoria. We are now working remotely. We encourage people to call us on the designated 1800 number, but it isn’t the same as seeing a friendly familiar face in the recovery hub. The team is apart but we chat and engage every day. We had our first Zoom meeting this morning and we have decided that each meeting we will wear a different hat.

Whilst it is easy to suggest that we simply need to get used to digital and social media to communicate and engage, I am constantly reminded that there are many remote parts of Australia which still do not have reliable phone or internet coverage. Still.

So for each great idea we have about a virtual this or a live stream that or an electronic newsletter about something else – we have to make sure we also have something in place for the people that don’t or can’t connect that way.

Connection is so important in disaster recovery.  All the community gatherings, meetings, social occasions, festivals, chats … all these things we would do to support people in their recovery that involve coming together to lean on and build our social capital, have been stopped.  We need to think of new ways to do things.

And while many are working out how to live their lives in this time of physical separation, there are those that are still trying to get their head around how to live their lives after the bushfires – without homes, without businesses, without income, without reliable drinking water, or food for livestock. Without the trees and green spaces. Some without loved ones.

It is tough. And it is complicated. And we don’t fully know how we are going to do it all yet.  But I am so grateful for the hard working, committed, passionate people I see doing the best they can, to support themselves and others. At a time when it would be easy to look inwards, think about ourselves and our own circumstances, pull up the drawbridge, lay low; I see so many reaching out, looking out, opening up. Finding the time to check on neighbours, distant family, old friends. Strangers.

This is what we are and what we do. Keep doing it.

We are finding new ways to say hello, new things to laugh and cry about, new things to share, new things to learn, new things to know. And remembering things we once knew, and forgot.

Each day we sail further into unchartered territory. Further from what we know and ever contemplated. I am sure when we finally come into port, it will be at a different dock. There will be things that have changed forever and there will be no going back. But for me, I’m looking forward to yoga classes where I can hear my friends Ujjayi breathing beside me, breakfast with friends on Saturday mornings, community dinner on Wednesday nights, movie club, bee club, neighbour drop ins, an impromptu walk in the bush with a friend to breath in, and out.

I love my secluded bush block and occasions to sit alone and simply look and listen. But my social connections are very important to me too. I hadn’t realised until now, just how much. And that when the music stops, you might find that not only is there no chair for you, there is no one else around to play the game with you.

Thank you to those who have been checking in on me, and for the love you’re sending …

 Margaret Moreton, AWE Committee
The last 4 months have been really challenging.  I feel like this may all get worse, before it gets better.  More and more people will face huge issues as they lose their income, their job or their business.  I may find it more difficult, if my clients don’t engage me to undertake projects that will allow me to work from home.  I have people who depend on me and I feel anxiety just as much as the next person; about whether we will manage, how we will get medical care if we need it, how we can support one another with food and supplies, and how we will maintain our sense of connection and belonging.

I am finding my own personal reactions to COVID19 a bit of a challenge, especially on the tail of the ‘Black Summer’ events of 2019-2020.  Having managed the sadness and grief left by the fires across so many states, devastating so many communities, we have all had to cope with the additional uncertainty the virus brings.

I have been able to keep working on projects for government and non-government organisations, but it has felt quite difficult at times, to keep my focus and my momentum up to speed.  I know that my personality means that I feel strongly when others around me are affected, upset, or finding life to be difficult.  The way I usually cope is to listen deeply, do practical things to assist, express myself through art and craft and nurturing my plants, bake and share the product…. and most importantly spend time with family and friends. Not all of these are possible now.  I phone people.  I chat with neighbours across the driveway.  I share my toilet paper supplies.  I zoom.  I Skype.  I nap when it is all too much.

What COVID19 takes away from me is the ability to hug, and to spend time in close quarters with people I love – my friends and family.  I can no longer visit my mother.

I am being as careful as I am able – washing and disinfecting hands often – especially if I travel for work or to shop.  I don’t want to be responsible for spreading this virus as some in our society (and in my friendship groups and family) are very vulnerable to becoming seriously ill if they contract it.  I am relying on the internet more – to send messages of love and support, to laugh, to connect.

I am encouraged by videos of Italians singing and playing music for one another.  I am encouraged by children delivering toilet paper to the elderly in their street.  I look for the fun, for people walking their dogs on the beach.  I am reading…. I am drawing… I am knitting.  I am coping.  I am confident we will emerge…. I just don’t know how long it will take.
Take care everyone.

 Jolie Wills, New Zealand Chapter Lead
Kia ora AWE Aotearoa
Gosh what times we find ourselves in! We just wanted to recognise the important roles you’ll be playing and the challenges you’ll be facing at work and at home.

It’s a time for being super mindful of our wellbeing, to try new tools and hacks, to keep doing the things that bring light to our lives and keep us going (within the limits we have of course), and maybe to reinstate some tried and tested methods from our past. We thought it might be helpful to let you know of a resource that’s available for doing well in stress and uncertainty – Hummingly’s Doing Well cards (www.hummingly.co/products).

As you can imagine, AWE events have been put on hold. We had screenings lined up for the excellent documentary Forged From Fire – but we’ll keep this for a few celebratory get-togethers once we can all converge again.

In the meantime, take care as best you can and reach out and stay connected with your best and dearest.

We are developing the program to be accessible through our website.  We encourage you all to consider being Mentors and/or Mentees.  Some of us might be both depending on our development goals.  We can all teach and share and we can all learn.  When the process is ready to launch, we will send all AWE members an email, inviting participation.

Feel free to get ready by doing the following things:
1.    Think about whether you’d like to be a mentor or a mentee or both

2. Think about what you hope to achieve by participating in the program – perhaps develop some goals for yourself, as either a mentor or a mentee
3. If you are thinking of being a mentee, think about who might be a great mentor to help you meet your goals
4. Whether Mentor or Mentee, find a good quality portrait photo that can go into our Registry for other potential Mentors and Mentees to review

5.    Write 300 words or less to describe your skills, background, role, interests, development needs etc.

The process will involve inviting you to register your interest on our website.  Margaret Moreton is our Mentoring Coordinator and she will load up all expressions of interest (onto the website).  This will create a register of both Mentors and Mentees.  Then we can all browse and find someone who matches what we are seeking.

Help will be available if you need it.  Many of us may find a Mentor on our own.

More information will be available when we launch and feel free to browse on our Mentoring page for more information about our Mentoring Program. https://www.awenetwork.org.au/mentoring/

News 

Emergency Services Foundation Survey – Mental Health and Wellbeing for Women in Emergency Services – Survey closes 31st March 2020

There is still time for AWE Members to assist in completing the Emergency Services Foundation survey to understand more about what mental health and wellbeing means for women in the emergency management sector. It will only take 10 minutes to complete.
Please click on this link to start the survey – https://pollev.com/efoundation571

This survey closes at 4pm 31st March.

Just days ago, many AWE Network were busy preparing submissions for the APMC DRR which was scheduled in June and other conferences in Qld. In the next few days I will be reaching out to Allison Rifai and Cheryl Desha to explore the possibility of encouraging and supporting AWE members who were involved in some of such proposals to record or live stream similar events, so watch this space. If you have submitted an EoI (or wanted to!) and would like to work together to transform your proposal into an online session, please reach out as I would love to help.

Finally, please keep on sharing your work, ideas and suggestions through the AWE Network LinkedIn page and reach out for any support you may need: [email protected] and [email protected].

The Doing Well cards are a set of methods that supports wellbeing, resilience and performance in the workforce. The cards empower people to deal with stress, uncertainty and pressure. One of the greatest impacts of COVID-19 is the stress and uncertainty it creates. Doing Well cards can be used at home, with co-workers, and with your family. They’re designed to help you connect and care for each other, even across distances.

Hummingly have built the Doing Well cards on the back of 15 years of experience working in disasters and crises around the world. The Doing Well cards have been tested under the ultimate conditions of prolonged stress and uncertainty resulting in a product that is useful for all organisations.
https://www.hummingly.co/blog

AWE members enjoyed a forum hosted by ESF which brought together 500 women from across Victoria’s emergency services sector to celebrate International Women’s Day 2020. Special guest speakers included The Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria, Johanna Griggs and Carol Fox.

Here are some photos from the day. More will be available on the AWE website soon.

A blog has been written about the event and is available here when-the-going-gets-tough-the-women-get-going-the-role-of-womens-networks-in-the-emergency-services-and-humanitarian-aid-sector and will be available on the AWE website soon.

In February, AWE member Amanda Lamont was invited to present at the Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Development Symposium on Disaster Resilience, in Istanbul, Turkey. Amanda had the opportunity to share some of her experiences from the recent Australian bushfires and discuss the important role that women play in building resilience and wellbeing in communities after disasters.

There was a lot of interest in the AWE Network and how women have been on the frontline supporting Australian communities during and after the bushfires. Some delegates asked how AWE could help them to set up a women in emergencies network in their country.  It would be great to continue to expand the network of women who work, volunteer and contribute to the disaster and emergency sector around the world.  Thank you Ebru Gencer for the invitation to Amanda and AWE Network to join your session.

Events

Postponed:
Emergency Management Conference
Find out more about the conference program here.
Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
https://www.unisdr.org/conference/2020/apmcdrr/home
Australia New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference (ANZDEMC)
2020 Theme – Leadership, Communication and Community Engagement
https://anzdmc.com.au/ 

Pending:
Women and Firefighting Australasia 2020 Conference – 25-28 August – Adelaide
AFAC 20 – 25-28 August – – Adelaide
Connecting communities. Creating resilience
Australian Disaster Resilience Conference 2020 – 26-27 August – Adelaide
Disaster risk reduction in action: pathways to impact
2020 Floodplain Management Australia National Conference Program
Conference Program

Professional Development

Philippa Woolf Scholarships 2020 – for AWE Members Only
AWE, in partnership with Australian Centre for Investigation, Incident and Management (ACIM) Solutions, are pleased to announce the Philippa Woolf Scholarships 2020.

These two full scholarships are available only to AWE members to study:

• The Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) PUA50119 (Value $4995)
• The Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Emergency Management) PUA60119 (Value $6995)

These qualifications are designed to support operational leaders, current or aspiring, who manage others in operational emergency management contexts in the public sector.

Applications for the 2020 Philippa Woolf Scholarships close on 14 April 2020. Successful applicants will be announced in April. Further information, including application details, is available here.

For details about the Diploma or Advanced Diploma please read the AWE Scholarship Information kit available at https://acimsolutions.com.au or for queries about the Scholarships please contact AWE on [email protected].

ESF Emergency Services Foundation Scholarship
The ESF scholarship application window is currently open. ESF’s recently refreshed strategic focus is a dedication to improving mental health and wellbeing within the sector (Victoria). Accordingly, scholarships are now being awarded with this goal in mind. Applications close on April 26 and will be awarded in May. The focus is not limited when you consider the many factors that contribute to workplace stress (in any industry). In 2020, for example, we will specifically look at mental health and wellbeing through a gender lens. I would love for AWE members to be aware of – and apply for – these scholarships. Info on eligibility and how to get more info is available online.

The leadership program aims to increase female participation in politics at all levels. Women learn skills needed to succeed in running for elected office and hear from a range of inspiring speakers. In its 5th year, this non-partisan program is now open to all women graduates from Victorian universities.

I am grateful to the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, Trawalla Foundation who partnered with the Melbourne School of Government to deliver this program. In fact, it inspired me to write Get Elected to share some of these tips with a broader audience.

QUT (Queensland University of Technology) commenced a similar program this year.

To apply for the Pathways to Politics Program do click here
https://government.unimelb.edu.au/engagement/pathways-to-politics-program-for-women#program

In case you missed it on social media this month:

Post-fire research receives boost
https://www.bnhcrc.com.au/news/2020/post-fire-research-receives-boost?utm_source=bnhcrc&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=post_fire_research

This is what we know.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6615016705070592000

Hummingly: Wellbeing, resilience & performance in times of COVID-19
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_wellbeing-resilience-performance-in-times-activity-6646968623967629312-Jhf5

UN Women: Twenty-five years after Beijing Declaration, the world “cannot afford” so few women in power https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_womeninpolitics-activity-6644052290221244416-AmMu

ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Final
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_sport-cmonaussie-womeninsport-activity-6644051814398431232-JSoA

UN Women: Welcome to Equiterra, where gender equality is real
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_welcome-to-equiterra-where-gender-equality-activity-6641359705233031168-z-mB

To the women who are labeled…
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_inspiration-leadership-assertive-activity-6640222992880279552-1gMB

Women in emergencies network: bushfire response
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_women-in-emergencies-network-bushfire-response-activity-6638756794292371458-DVnF

UN Women: The Generation Equality Forum
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_generationequality-activity-6639352274097401856-dmpn

The cost of climate change on women and girls internationally is dire
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/australasian-women-in-emergencies-network_the-cost-of-climate-change-on-women-and-girls-activity-6639352429169213440-thpj

The Australasian Women in Emergencies (AWE) Network promotes, supports and develops the contributions of women in emergency management and disaster resilience to help build stronger individuals, communities and organisations. Visit our website to find out more and join.

Thank you to Diana Zapata Rojas for her support in pulling the newsletter together. It is greatly appreciated.

We would love to hear from more of our members, there are many great successes we would love to hear about.