Youth program
The Disaster Preparedness Youth Group program was launched at Eden Marine High School in May 2022 in response to a community need identified by the Project Steering Committee and the Youth Working Group.
The aim was to bring young people together with key community stakeholders to design projects to support young people to be better prepared for future disasters.
The program was a collaboration with Bega Valley Shire Council, Campbell Page Eden and Headspace.
The first session was hosted by Canberra-based The Boho Interactive.
The aim was to bring young people together with key community stakeholders to design projects to support young people to be better prepared for future disasters.
The program was a collaboration with Bega Valley Shire Council, Campbell Page Eden and Headspace.
The first session was hosted by Canberra-based The Boho Interactive.
Between May and February 2023, seventeen young people met each month with emergency services personnel.
They workshopped project ideas and worked with community mentors to bring those projects to life.
The project-based learning program unfolded in three stages:
They workshopped project ideas and worked with community mentors to bring those projects to life.
The project-based learning program unfolded in three stages:
1. Discovery
This was time spent with emergency services personnel getting to understand their roles and how they respond to and prepare for disasters. The young people workshopped community disaster preparedness priorities and identified what is important to the community.
2. Planning
The participants then worked with community mentors to develop their project plans and build project detail.
3. Implementation
Three project ideas were developed and implemented with the support of community mentors.
This was time spent with emergency services personnel getting to understand their roles and how they respond to and prepare for disasters. The young people workshopped community disaster preparedness priorities and identified what is important to the community.
2. Planning
The participants then worked with community mentors to develop their project plans and build project detail.
3. Implementation
Three project ideas were developed and implemented with the support of community mentors.
Disaster Preparedness Youth Group Projects
Bean Bunch
Priority: Food Security Project: Seed library at the school Project mentors: Pam and Peter Skelton (Eden Community Pantry), Nellie Pryke (Bega Seed Savers), Deb Austen (ECAC), Jacqui Filby (ECAC) |
Happier Together
Priority: Community connectedness Project: School-based event to welcome new students Project mentors: Callum Champagne (BVSC), John Rix-Aldridge (ECAC), Julia Willson (RecLink) |
Disability Support App
Priority: Vulnerable people support Project: Application with resources for people with disabilities Project mentors: Peter Whiter (Community member) Lynne Koerbin (Disability Trust) |
Student feedback
“It was interesting and we learnt stuff that is necessary, lifesaving and useable”
“I learnt to talk to my family about disasters”
“I have a better understanding of what community is”
“ I had a lot of fun and learnt about what we should do in a disaster”
“It was interesting and we learnt stuff that is necessary, lifesaving and useable”
“I learnt to talk to my family about disasters”
“I have a better understanding of what community is”
“ I had a lot of fun and learnt about what we should do in a disaster”
Dinner in the Den, Youth Week 2022
In April 2022, the Disaster Preparedness Project team participated in Youth Week by partnering with Campbell Page, Eden to host Dinner in the Den at the Campbell Page Youth Space.
More than fifteen young people attended, enjoying a meal and participating in disaster preparedness-themed games.
In April 2022, the Disaster Preparedness Project team participated in Youth Week by partnering with Campbell Page, Eden to host Dinner in the Den at the Campbell Page Youth Space.
More than fifteen young people attended, enjoying a meal and participating in disaster preparedness-themed games.
Engaging Young People in "Disaster Preparedness Through Gaming" Project
While the youth program was underway, the project team continued to hear from young people and the wider community that youth education and youth-led initiatives were a priority for them. In July 2022 the project team applied for funding through the Office of Regional Youth’s Children and Young People Wellbeing Initiative to run the Engaging Young People in Disaster Preparedness Through Gaming Project. The project was awarded funding to run a 20 week program at Eden Marine High School which began in late February 2023. |
In November 2022 additional funding was awarded through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants Program to run a further round of the gaming program.
The program was coordinated by the Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction Project team - John-Rix Aldridge and Carol Ahern - and was hosted by William Sharples from the Eden Game Development Centre.
The program was coordinated by the Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction Project team - John-Rix Aldridge and Carol Ahern - and was hosted by William Sharples from the Eden Game Development Centre.
Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction Project
In July 2022 the Eden Community Access Centre was awarded $300,000 in funding through New South Wales Government’s Disaster Risk Reduction Fund to coordinate a stand-alone Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction project over two years.
In July 2022 the Eden Community Access Centre was awarded $300,000 in funding through New South Wales Government’s Disaster Risk Reduction Fund to coordinate a stand-alone Youth-led Disaster Risk Reduction project over two years.