Strengthening climate resilience – learning from primary prevention, health promotion and social capital research

The Resilience Community of Practice (RCOP) is hosting an in-person event in Narrm (Melbourne) for community service and community health organisations, interrogating what we mean by “climate resilience” and what strengthening climate resilience looks like in practice.  

This will be on opportunity for practitioners to reflect on their own practice and how it relates to climate resilience. We’ll be considering transferable learnings from primary prevention, health promotion and social capital research that can be applied to action and advocacy for climate resilience. Including, for example, mechanisms to measure, quantify and demonstrate impact for upstream interventions. 

The event will include a panel discussion followed by facilitated discussions. Panelists include:  

• Kit McMahon, Chief Executive Officer at Women’s Health in the South East (WHISE) 
• Bridget Tehan, Emergency Services Lead Convenor at Australian Red Cross 
• David Towl, Executive Lead People, Culture and Strategy (Acting) at Access Health and Community and President of the Australian Health Promotion Association Vic/Tas Committee 

Where: Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Level 4/454 Queen St, Melbourne VIC 3000 (in-person only event) 

When: Thursday 22nd August, 10am-12pm (come early/stay late for a coffee) 

Objectives of this RCOP event: 

• To develop a shared understanding of what we mean by climate resilience, its complexity, and what this looks like in practice for community service and health organisations.  
• To increase opportunities to reflect on our own practice and how it relates to climate resilience.  
• Increase opportunities to share transferable learnings from primary prevention, health promotion and social capital research to apply to action and advocacy for climate resilience. 
• Increase awareness of mechanisms to measure, quantify and demonstrate impact for interventions that support climate resilience.  

About the Resilience Community of Practice 

The RCOP is a cross-sector group of 39 metro, regional and rural organisations including community service organisations, community health services, community legal centres, local government and other local organisations from across Victoria. The focus of the RCOP goes beyond emergency preparedness, looking to primary prevention and integrated approaches which link climate change resilience with broader social equity and health and wellbeing outcomes. The RCOP is funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and is coordinated by Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places. 

If you have any questions about the event or would like to learn more about the RCOP, email Jack Piper, Climate Justice Coordinator at Jesuit Social Services’ Centre for Just Places on jack.piper@jss.org.au.