Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness Group
About the Group
The Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness (RR&P) Group was established in late 2021 as a merger of three pre-existing interagencies and cross-sectoral collaborations/collective impact initiatives: the Health & Wellbeing sub-committee (Wellbeing) for the Black Summer Recovery; the Mental Health & Wellbeing Interagency; and the Preparedness & Resilience Group formed in the wake of the 2013 fires.
The Group consists of a range of local, place-based community sector organisations, “new” organisations to our area undertaking long-term Recovery activities in the Mountains (especially in mental health/suicide prevention, and financial counselling), representatives of government agencies (eg local Council Resilience and Recovery workers, health, education, Local Emergency Management Committee) and local emergency services personnel (eg RFS, SES, F&RNSW).
Trusting relationships and partnerships have been built through tough times together. RR&P members share values (such as the critical importance of community connections; in emergency preparedness, “prevention is better than cure”; and the value of grass-roots action). We also share messages and programs for community-led resilience-building, recovery and preparedness – we know all of these activities occur continuously and often concurrently in an endless cycle.
Purpose/Goals
The Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness Group aims to strengthen active partnerships between emergency services and the community sector at an organisational and ‘officer-to-officer’ level, and thus provide a united platform for the delivery of a broad range of recovery, resilience and preparedness programs within our community.
Specific goals are to:
- support local grass-roots resilience and recovery initiatives
- develop community sector networks to support vulnerable and at-risk residents
- encourage and support household preparedness
- encourage and support service system preparedness in the Blue Mountains
- coordinate Recovery efforts to ensure all voices are heard, all residents supported, and avoid duplication and
- advocate on behalf of RR&P Group member organisations and our local community for the resources to deliver our goals effectively.
Activities
On ongoing program around household preparedness supports local residents to practically and psychologically prepare for emergencies. Programs include an annual Get Ready! BM calendar of events over spring and early summer, with a focus on psychological as well as practial preparedness, and building communtiy connections (eg, Heads Up For Fire (HUFF), Meet Your Street, seminars with local experts, and Preparedness Clinics). See details about Household Preparedness Activities...
MCRN also auspices Resilient Blue Mountains, a community-led network of groups working together for a resilient future in the face of climate change: https://www.resilientbluemountains.org.
Meetings
How often: The Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness Group currently meets every six weeks from 12 to 2pm on a Wednesday.
Where: Currently, over Zoom..
Contact
For more information about the Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness Group, please contact Kris Newton on 0458 626210 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Related RRP Documents