ABOUT
One of the best ways to enhance disaster resilience is by strengthening social connections between community members and engaging them in preparation. The WE’RE READY! Community Disaster Preparedness Workshop!© is a step-by-step tool that facilitates communities in designing and implementing their own disaster plans through interactive and hands-on community-building activities. The WE’RE READY! workshop is community-based, rather than individual or household-based, and builds on the principles of adult education. The WE’RE READY! workshop was designed by academics, emergency management practitioners, and community members.
PURPOSE
To facilitate communities in designing and implementing their own disaster plans through interactive and engaging community-building activities.
GOAL
Through participation, residents are collectively prepared for emergencies and respond in ways that reduce confusion and distress, prevent injury, save lives, and minimize or avoid damage.
DELIVERABLES
Workshop participants design their own customized community disaster plan, including hazard and evacuation maps; communication plans; and a community capacity inventory.
The workshops have been implemented in several communities across Canada since 2019 with diverse populations and hazard scenarios. Workshop activities include: Community Capacity Bingo, Sharing Experiences for Lessons Learned, Mapping, Community Plan, Mock Disaster Simulation, Debriefing, and Building Momentum. Read about the WE’RE READY! Workshop in HAZNet magazine and the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.
For more information, visit: wereready.org
Working closely with the WE’RE READY! Team, CIFAL York organizes and facilitates WE’RE READY! workshops for local communities, groups, NGOs, universities, and businesses to enhance emergency preparedness. Our team can develop and run WE’RE READY! workshops for your community based on your own desired scenarios. Click here to express your interest.
The Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (CIFAL) at York University is one of the 22 UNITAR’s global network of training centres focusing on knowledge-sharing, training, and capacity-building for public and private leaders, local authorities, and civil society. For more information, visit: yorku.ca/cifal.