Monthly email February 2019

In this issue:

Help us make AWE sustainable!
Acknowledging contributions to the Queensland floods
Australia Day Honours
Events
Chapter Updates
Professional Development
Networking
Social Media
Committee Update
Membership Update
Funding & other opportunities

Help us make AWE sustainable!

AWE Go Fund Me Campaign

We have recently set up a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to raise $5,000 to AVOID having to charge membership fees in 2019. This money will help us support the formalisation of AWE and undertake the following activities:

Purchase membership software
Establish a website and online shop
Host our annual members meeting
Provide events and regular communications
…and much much more!!

Donate today! We are already well on our way with $500 in donations, so let’s come together and get AWE off the ground!!

Acknowledging AWE contributions to the Queensland floods

AWE acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of AWE members and all paid and volunteer staff from across Queensland and Australia who provided critical response, rescue, relief, clean up and recovery support to Queenslanders impacted by the recent floods. We know AWE members will continue to support people in Queensland on the road to recovery.

Australia Day Honours

A number of women in emergencies were awarded Australia Day Honours this year. A huge congratulations to AWE member Gwynne Brennan from the CFA (Vic) who was awarded an Australian Fire Services Medal (AFSM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours Awards.

International Women’s Day – 8^th March #BalanceforBetter

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is Balance for Better.

“The future is exciting. Let’s build a gender-balanced world. Everyone has a part to play – all the time, everywhere. From grassroots activism to worldwide action, we are entering an exciting period of history where the world expects balance. We notice its absence and celebrate its presence.
Balance drives a better working world. Let’s all help create a #BalanceforBetter.”

See below for information about AWE events celebrating International Women’s Day

AWE Events

AWE International Women’s Day

AWE is hosting or coordinating several events to help celebrate International Women’s Day. Contact your AWE Chapter Lead for details of events in your area.

UN Women IWD Breakfast – Melbourne – Tuesday 5^th March

AWE is hosting two tables at the UN Women IWD breakfast in Melbourne on Tuesday 5^th March. Tickets are $94. There may still be some seats available. Please contact Amanda Lamont at [email protected].

AWE in Federation Square – Melbourne, Friday 8^th March

AWE will be represented at Victoria’s Emergency Management – More Powerful Together Celebrating International Women’s Day 2019 event at Federation Square on Friday 8th March from 9am – 3pm. A range of emergency services organisations will showcase the role women play in emergencies. If you are in Melbourne, please drop by and say hello, and make sure you are wearing your yellow badge!

AWE IWD Lunch – Mackay, Sunday 10^th March

Zonta International Women’s Day Luncheon. Tickets starting at $75. Let Selina Neill know you have booked a ticket so we can coordinate a table. [email protected] or 0409 894 721

AWE IWD Lunch – Airlie Beach – Sunday March 10^th

Zonta International Women’s Day Lunch. Tickets $58. Let Alicia Palmer know you have booked a ticket so we can coordinate a table. [email protected] or 0428 766 629

AWE IWD Drinks – Sydney, Friday 8^th March

On Friday 8^thMarch, drinks and nibbles will be held in the function room at the Loft Bar at UTS in Ultimo from 4pm – 8pm. The theme is ‘celebrating diversity within women in emergencies’. Drinks will be at your own cost – however they are very reasonably priced, and 4pm-6pm there are $5 happy hour prices. There will be Auslan interpreters for the event and we will have some of the fabulous SES Deaf Liaison Officers (DLO’s) joining us, as well as other members of the community.
Please RSVP by Tuesday 5^th March.

AWE IWD Brunch – Darwin, Friday 8^th March

AWE members can attend a brunch in Darwin for International Women’s Day on the 8th of March. This will be the NT Chapter’s first catch up and will be an opportunity to get to know one another and to consider what we would like to focus on as a Chapter for the first 12 months. Brunch will be held at Besser Kitchen and Brew Bar from 10am. Please RSVP to ensure a seat!

CFA IWD

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) will celebrate the vital role women hold in emergencies this International Women’s Day. In addition to local events held at fire stations across the state, CFA Headquarters staff will gather in Burwood East to launch a collection of filmed interviews with female firefighters and hear from some of CFA’s female leaders.

UN Women IWD Breakfast – Brisbane – Wed 6th March

The UN Women IWD breakfast in Brisbane is on 6th March. Tickets are $85. If you have bought a ticket, please contact Alessia Anibaldi on 0432154235 or [email protected] to let her know and ensure AWE members are together. If you have not, there may still some seats available, please check here.

Your AWE IWD Event?

Not located in any of these places? Why not host your own IWD breakfast at your workplace or a local café with some AWE colleagues or attend the IWD breakfast event held in your area. Your Chapter Lead can help organise and promote it to other AWE members in your area. Don’t forget your badges!

AWE Networking Event – Emergency Services Foundation Conference – Melbourne, Tuesday 28^th May

An AWE Networking Event will be held at the Emergency Services Foundation Conference in Melbourne on Tuesday 28^th May at from 5.30pm – 7.00pm. We are delighted to announce guest speaker Carol Matthews will speak to attendees over drinks. The event is free, but drinks are at own expense. Please contact Amanda Lamont 0407 696 300 or [email protected] if you are interested in attending this event.

From the Heart – until 12^th May 2019

From the Heart is an exhibition at Melbourne Museum marking the story 10th anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires. This poignant project invites you to reflect and contribute to an interactive Tree of Remembrance, and includes a small selection of objects from the Museum’s Bushfire collection, as well as images of environmental recovery and initiatives focused on staff and community wellbeing.

Chapter Updates

AWE Chapter Leads held their first teleconference in February, giving everyone the opportunity to get to know each other and share ideas and plans for their chapter for the year ahead.

AWE New South Wales

AWE NSW members at their February meeting

AWE NSW Chapter has already held three AWE meetings, including presentations from Walk With, an online training tool for family, welfare, health and community support workers to support disaster resilience and renewal and NSW Rural Fire Service’s shared information on survival in a car during a bushfire. NSW AWE members were also lucky to hear from Leilani Craig, an academic (and also Deaf) AWE member, who presented on her research into disability in disasters. This was an amazing opportunity for the group to learn about the needs and concerns of the Deaf community during an emergency and about what is currently in place and what else we need to do to assist the Deaf community during a crisis. We are grateful for the amount of time and effort put in by the wonderful presenters who also arranged AUSLAN interpreters.
The NSW AWE Chapter has created a SharePoint portal to share information, including presentations and resource links. Contact Chapter Lead Catherine Strods for more information. When the AWE website is available, these presentations will be shared more broadly.

AWE NSW 2019 Schedule of Events

DATE	Location	Presenters
February 19^th	University of NSW – Kensington UNSW Roundhouse conference Room	Anne Crestani – ‘Walk With’ www.walkwith.org.au Leilani Craig – Disability and Disasters for AUS and SE Asia Catherine Ryland – Planning for Bush Fire Protection with the NSW RFS Heidi Chappelow – Environmental Resilience
May – TBA	UoN – Central Coast Campus – Ourimbah	Melanie Gibson – Public forum including external stakeholders
June 20^th	NSW Department of Primary Industries – Tocal	Liane Crocher- Sir Ivan Fire Recovery Support Service Mel Taylor – NSW RFS Post Bushfire Taskforce recovery support
September 17^th	Lawson Hall – Blue Mountains	Mel Taylor/Kris Newton – Emergency preparedness for animals in the Blue Mountains
October	University of Technology Sydney – Ultimo	TBA
December	TBA – Wollongong or southern area	TBA

AWE Northern Territory

We’re pleased to announce the first Northern Territory AWE event for 2019 – see above for details on our International Women’s Day brunch in Darwin.
Do you know other women in the Northern Territory who may be interested in joining the Australian Women in Emergencies Network? Sign up for more information here. Or contact us directly for more information.

AWE New Zealand

We are pleased to announce that we are extending our network ‘across the ditch’ with a New Zealand Chapter being established. This chapter will be co-led by Elizabeth McNaughton and Jolie Wills. (You can learn more about them at www.mcnaughtonwills.com). Spread the word to any great Kiwis you know who might be interested and watch this space as things get up and running.

Professional Development

AIDR Emergency Management Volunteer Scholarships

Applications for Round Five of the AIDR Scholarships close on 4th march. Don’t miss out. More information is here or email the AIDR Scholarships Team.

Mary Fran Myers Scholarship

Applications are now open for the Mary Fran Myers Scholarship. The scholarship allows the recipient to attend the Natural Hazards Center Natural Hazards Workshop this year in Colorado, USA. The Mary Fran Myers Scholarship recognises outstanding individuals who share Myers’ commitment to disaster research and practice, and have the potential to make a lasting contribution to reducing disaster vulnerability.

ABC News Speakers database

ABC News is currently building its database of women across industries to call on as expert talent, opinion leaders and sources for interviews/commentary on their digital and broadcast platforms. This database will be used by ABC News interview producers, talent bookers and journalists.

Social Media

AWE is live on Instagram!
AWE recently established an Instagram presence so don’t forget to follow and tag us at your get togethers or AWE related news so we can share it among the network – @awe_network

The AWE website is coming soon – we will let you know when we go live.

Don’t just follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram – you can also post your own entries and share ideas, thoughts, invitations, etc.

AWE Networking

Female Founder Connection

AWE Co-founders Kath Cooney and Amanda Lamont recently attended the Female Founder Connection networking event to explore opportunities with potential investors with an interest in supporting women focussed and led start-up businesses and not for profits.
“It was amazing to see the room full of emerging and established female founders, along with supporters with so much talent, generosity, and advice to offer.”
We will be looking further into opportunities with this group.

AWE Committee Update

The AWE Committee met in February to progress discussions on incorporation of AWE, finalising foundational principles, fundraising opportunities, events, mentoring and IT support.

Membership

AWE now has 982 members across Australia and New Zealand.
ACT        27
NSW      139
NT          17
NZ 6
QLD 159
SA           71
TAS 38
VIC 505
WA 53

AWE Badges

Don’t forget that our iconic AWE badges, now available in two sizes, are available from our online shop.

Newsletter contributions

The AWE Newsletter is published monthly on the last Friday of the month, Submissions are due on the 2nd last Friday of the month. For queries or to change your subscription, or to let us know what you would like to see in the newsletter email us at [email protected].

How to find AWE

To join AWE, please click here.
You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram or email us with any queries.
Badges are available from our shop.

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