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Education resources

Disaster resilience education (DRE) is learning about natural hazards in the local environment and ways to keep communities safe from harm before, during and after an emergency or disaster.

Children and young people play a critical role in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response and recovery across all hazards such as floods, fires, heatwaves, droughts, cyclones and storms. With climate change, these events are happening more and more, sometimes one after another or even at the same time.

DRE provides young people with knowledge, skills and understanding to help them take appropriate actions before, during and after an emergency or disaster. DRE is provided in both formal learning settings such as early learning centres and schools and informal learning settings through programs provided by emergency management agencies and other organisations in young people’s networks and communities.

Explore resources for parents and caregivers, educators across early learning, primary and secondary and emergency services developed by AIDR, our partners and our stakeholders. Where applicable the age appropriateness and Australian Curriculum link are highlighted.

 

 

Disaster resilience education: Australian Curriculum 9.0 links (PDF 274KB)

For educators and organisations working with schools. Highlights where DRE links to the Australian Curriculum.

Disaster Resilience Education for Young People Handbook (AIDR 2021)

The handbook is specifically designed to support educators, executive and leadership teams in schools and early learning centres, organisations engaging with schools and early learning communities and other learning settings, policy makers in education settings.

Our World Our Say Survey 2020 Report (PDF 10.3MB)

The survey was completed by 1,447 young Australians between the ages of 10 and 24

Our World Our Say - Messages from Young People to the Australian Government (2020)

This document is a compilation of the personal messages to government provided in response to one question by 852 young survey participants.

Educator resources from the Community Trauma Toolkit

This toolkit contains resources to help and support adults and children before, during, and after a disaster or traumatic event.

Australian Bushfires: student wellbeing and support for teachers (PDF 463KB)

For educators returning to school in the context of the 2019-20 national bushfire crisis.

Parent and caregiver resources from the Community Trauma Toolkit

These resources are designed for parents and caregivers to use themselves, or for practitioners to use with families living and working in areas affected by natural disaster or community trauma

Red Cross resources for parents and caregivers

Resources to prepare, respond and recover from emergencies and disasters.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resources

Resources and links designed to help educators and non-indigenous people better integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Resources

Information and links to help educators support students from CALD backgrounds.

Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: for children (PDF 6MB)

For children aged 10-14. The Sendai Framework aims to make sure that everyone is ready when hazards strike, so that responses are more effective and better organised.

DisasterMapper on the AIDR Knowledge Hub

Use the interactive DisasterMapper to visually explore disasters in Australia. Provides information on historical Australian disasters.

Early years resources, activities and lessons plans

 

ABC Kids Early Education Helping Hands Toolkit

Helping Hands is a disaster resilience curriculum planning toolkit for early childhood educators to help young children and their families prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and disasters. Includes resources, video and audio programs, play-based planning ideas and sector stories.

AFDRS Early Childhood Quick Guide

In partnership with Play School’s Everyday Helpers and ABC Kids Early Education, this quick reference guide is designed to help children, parents and carers to understand the new ratings.

Birdie’s Tree

Birdie’s Tree is a suite of resources to help babies and young children prepare for, cope with and recover from a disaster or disruptive event. Playing a therapeutic game or reading a story with a caring adult can help a young child work through the scary experiences and ‘big feelings’. There’s information for parents and carers too. Come and meet Birdie and Mr Frog!

COPE Disaster Book Series

Covering natural hazards ranging from floods to earthquakes, wildfires to cyclones, the books provide coping tools and preparedness stories in an imaginative and easy-to-understand way. The books are available to read online in multiple languages including, Bahasa, Chinese, French, Spanish and Urdu.

Play School: Everyday Helpers early education resources

With the help of some very special guests from the emergency services, we share early childhood safety messages relevant during times of emergency. Through imaginary play, stories and song, Play School explore ways children can maintain a sense of agency, even during very challenging times.

Red Cross RediPlan preparedness program 

The following lesson plans have been designed to help childcare staff educate young children about important emergency preparedness information. For children aged 3 to 5. 

Red Cross RediPlan recovery program 

The following lesson plans have been designed to help childcare staff educate young children
about important emergency recovery information. For children aged 3 to 5.

Primary lesson plans, activities and resources

Secondary lesson plans, activities and resources

TSUNAMI THE ULTIMATE GUIDE 2

The guide is designed to give students and teachers all the information about tsunami they need in a one-stop shop. Extending beyond tsunami, the guide delves into the Earth’s structure, plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

 

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