Bellingen Shire residents will have more opportunities to build emergency preparedness skills and strengthen community connections, with Council securing $115,000 in disaster recovery funding, to deliver four community resilience projects.
Funded through the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s Community Resilience and Recovery Program (CRRC) under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the initiatives will focus on supporting young people, supporting older residents, people with disabilities, and their support networks.
Following the significant impacts of the May 2025 floods and recent landslips, the projects aim to help residents better prepare for future emergencies, while providing opportunities to share experiences and strengthen community connections.
Young people in Dorrigo will be a key focus, with two projects designed to give 14–24-year-olds a voice in disaster recovery. Interactive emergency preparedness workshops will help young people understand local disaster risks, develop practical emergency plans and build personal resilience. Council will work with agencies and young people to help shape the workshops, ensuring the activities are engaging, relevant and reflect what matters most to them.
A youth-led storytelling project will also see young participants work with specialist facilitators to produce a six-episode podcast series, sharing their experiences of recent disasters while developing communication and digital storytelling skills.
Three Person-Centered Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) Workshops that support inclusive emergency preparedness, will be delivered across the Shire aimed at provided specialised support for people with disability, carers, support workers and service providers in developing personalised emergency plans that consider their individual needs, including, transport, medication, assistive technology, communication and evacuation arrangements. The aim is to ensure emergency preparedness is accessible, inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of the community.
Older residents will also benefit from three Connected and Resilient workshops held in Dorrigo, Bellingen and Urunga focusing on practical emergency planning, understanding warnings, managing service disruptions and building local networks.
Council will work alongside local schools, community organisations, emergency services, disability support providers and other stakeholders to deliver the projects currently underway.
Workshop dates and participation opportunities will be shared through Council’s website, social media and community networks. Residents are encouraged to get involved and help build a more connected, prepared and resilient Bellingen Shire.
Funding acknowledgement: These projects are supported by $115,000 in funding through the Community Resilience and Recovery Program (CRRC), under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
