Young People and Disasters Resource Hub

There are many organisations willing and able to help whether you need groceries, some new clothes or just someone to talk to, they’ve got you covered.

Floods can be immensely stressful and anxious. 

Managing your emotions during an emergency can help you think clearly about decisions and ensure you are able to respond quickly and safely. 

If you’re a young person impacted by floods, there is support available. 

• For help with psychologically preparing for flood: Preparing for Floods, Australian Psychological Society.
• For an online and phone counselling service: Recovering after a national disaster, Lifeline 13 11 14, open 24/7
• For an online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25: Coping with natural disasters, Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800, open 24/7
• For looking after your mental health following a disaster: Beyond Blue
• For coping with the stress of natural disasters: Headspace
• For managing pre-existing mental health issues during a disaster and recovery: Sane Australia
• For understanding trauma through disaster recovery: Sane Australia
• For additional fact sheets and a podcast: Rural Adversity Mental Health Program
• For youth workers: Phoenix Australia
• For additional resources: Live4Life

Floods can happen in all different parts of Victoria.

As disabled young people it’s important to know what to do if there is a flood in our area.

What is an emergency plan?

• An emergency plan is a set of steps to follow if there is a flood in your area.
• Make sure the plan is accessible to everyone in your family. Eg. Have an audio recording of the plan or have an easy English version.
• Family, friends and support workers can help you with your emergency plan.
• Practice your emergency plan with your family so that you all understand what to do in a flood or disaster.

What should be in my emergency plan?

Your emergency plan should tell you what you need to do in an emergency, where you will go, and when you will go.

What will I do?

• Take action when you know there is going to be floods in your area.
• For example, move items on the floor to somewhere higher so they will be safe if water comes into the house.
• Turn off all power points and unplug electrical items so you don’t get shocked if water comes into the house

Where will I go?

• Think about your access needs when you decide where you will go if there is a flood or other disaster. For example, if you have sensory difficulties, it might be better to stay with a friend or family member rather than go to a refuge centre because refuge centres can be very crowded and might be overwhelming.
• Your plan can have several options for where you might go in a flood or other disaster. For example, if the road to get to one place is closed, you can go to a place that’s in a different direction.

When will I go?

• If there is going to be floods in your area, leave as early as you can. For example, you might need to leave the night before it is going to flood so that you have enough time to get to a safe place.
• Do not wait until you can see flood water. By the time you can see floodwater, it might not be safe to leave.

Floods and other emergencies can happen anywhere in Victoria.

It’s important for disabled young people to be ready for a flood or other emergency.

To best prepare, have an emergency kit.

What is an emergency kit?

• An emergency kit is a pack of the most important things you will need to take if you have to leave your house in a flood or another type of emergency.
• Your family, friends, or support workers might be able to help you make your kit
• Keep your emergency kit somewhere you can easily get to it.

What should I have in my emergency kit?

• Water and snacks, spare clothes, a first aid kit and important documents.
• Important documents: passport or birth certificate.
• Items to help you stay calm.
• Items you need because of your disability. For example, a wheelchair charger, hearing aids or communication boards Items for pets:
• If you have pets or a service animal, include things that they might need in your emergency kit. For example, a leash, blankets, food, a water bowl and paperwork to show that you have a service animal.
• You can also put some items into waterproof bags in the container to keep them extra safe. For example, a phone charger

When reporting on disaster risk, response, recovery, and resilience, it is crucial to adopt a trauma-informed approach. This guide aims to provide media and communications teams with evidence-based recommendations for using language and imagery that are respectful, accurate, and trauma-informed. The suggestions are tailored to Australian readers and young audiences.

Download the resource

A journal article published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, by YACVic staff and a young person involved in the YACVic Rural Activators program.

Open access to the article

Abstract

Bushfires and natural disasters have a significant impact on young people and risk reduction strategies have largely focused on addressing their vulnerability and mitigating the effects of trauma. In the 21st century practitioners, researchers and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, are calling for young people to become ‘agents of change’ in disaster management. Our research with young people affected by Australia's 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires highlighted their frustrations at the limited opportunities to be actively involved in relief and recovery, and their concerns about the combined impact of the climate crisis and bushfires. Their focus aligns with a shift in young people's acts of citizenship and community involvement as they seek opportunities to engage with issues that impact them and their future.

Young people's engagement in a youth-focused, empowerment-oriented, animal-welfare program in the Australian state of Victoria, The Activators, demonstrates how young people join the dots between bushfire recovery, the climate crisis and environmental issues to undertake local acts of citizenship. This article focuses on young people's experiences and a young person's powerful narrative of, Loss, urgency, grief and loneliness. We draw on the challenges and opportunities of young people's individual and collective experience of the program. Our analysis investigates how a programmatic intervention empowered young people to become agents of change through acts of citizenship in their local communities. Adopting similar approaches would enable young people to be actively involved in disaster recovery, prevention and response, across all levels of planning and community engagement.

A Seat at the Table: Young People and Disaster Recovery is a guide to meaningful Youth Engagement, Participation, and Inclusion. The resource covers all aspects of youth engagement in disaster response, and includes three double-sided A4 fact-sheets which can be printed and shared.

Download the resource

Download the three fact-sheets

Download Fact Sheet: Engaging, Including and Consulting with Young People

Download Fact Sheet: Opportunities for Young People in Disaster Preparedness, Response and Recovery

Download Fact Sheet: Including Young People in Committees and Governance

To request a printed copy of the resources, you can email YACVic Rural Disaster Resilience Programs Coordinator, Carla Hall CHall@YACVic.org.au with your name, organisation and mailing address.

Speaking Up: Young people’s experience of Bushfire and Recovery is the report produced in partnership with the Victorian Government’s Department of Education and Training and Bushfire Recovery Victoria.  We consulted and supported young people and community members to document their experience of disaster recovery and response to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.

Read the report

Read the first Emerging Themes Report from those consultations

Read the second Emerging Themes Report from those consultations

The 2020-21 Rural Young Activators are young people aged 15-25 from bushfire-affected communities leading projects and advocacy to support bushfire recovery and animal welfare with support from RSPCA Victoria.

Learn more about Activators

The disabled community can be particularly vulnerable during bushfires due to a lack of accessible information, emergency housing, vital equipment and many other factors. The Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) produced this resource to support all Victorians, including young people with disability.

Discover the resource

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management (IGEM) engaged YACVic in 2020-21 to undertake consultation with young people from fire-affected communities.

The consultation focused on three lines of enquiry:

1. What relief and recovery activities that were relevant to young Victorians occurred during and after the 2019-2020 bushfires at the state, regional and local levels?
2. To what extent were relief and recovery arrangements and activities, including at a state, regional and incident level, effective from the perspective of young Victorians?
3. What opportunities are there to improve current relief and recovery arrangements and practice in Victoria for young Victorians?

The resulting report Evidence from Experience aimed to provide IGEM with data-informed evidence of young people's experiences and perceptions related to the effectiveness of several areas of community-facing relief and recovery.

Read the report