The Red Cross and Pacific National are working with Yuin community representatives on the South Coast to ensure they are properly prepared for disasters.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
As part of the three-year project the two organisations are working with First Nations communities across regional NSW including the Yuin, Gumbaynggirr, Baryulgil Malabugilmah, Dhungatti and Kamilarol people.
Australian Red Cross First Nations Community Disaster Resilience Team Leader, Julie Perkins said the 140,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across regional NSW were disproportionately impacted when a crisis occurred.
"With the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters on the rise, this work is critical to ensuring our First Nations communities are not being left behind," Ms Perkins said.
"Red Cross believes that a connected community is a resilient community, and a resilient community is a safer community.
"This partnership with Pacific National enables Red Cross to sustain its vital work in First Nations communities, adopting a community-led approach across regional NSW," she said
READ MORE:
"This includes initiatives such as delivery of first aid training to First Nations community members, teaching disaster preparedness to First Nations school children with the Pillowcase Program, and ensuring a First Nations presence at evacuation centres."
Pacific National chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said his organisation was happy to partner with the Red Cross.
"We hope that through the initiatives we support, First Nations communities feel safe, connected, and cared for," he said.
"Our three-year partnership assists First Nations communities in three regions of NSW- Northern NSW, Central West and Southern NSW, prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters."
As part of the partnership, Red Cross and Pacific National are collaborating to deliver a series of safer communities barbecues.
The project will also look at recruiting and training First Nations emergency service volunteers; delivering First Nations first aid, psychological first aid and mental health first aid training for community leaders and community members; community disaster resilience and wellbeing workshops and training; facilitating cultural burns and yarning circles to unite communities and form social connections; and advocating for First Nations and marginalised groups to participate in decision making roles at local, state and federal government levels.
