Designing and Facilitating a Collaborative Disaster Management Workshop for Community Services by Folket Consultancy
At Folket Consultancy, we enjoy working on projects that create a significant impact in our communities. Together with our clients, we solve problems, collaborate effectively, and tailor our team based on their unique needs. In this case study, we share our recent work with Monaro Family Support Service (MFSS). It provides insights on how Folket Consultancy developed and facilitated a workshop for local community services and organisations to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in the Snowy-Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia.
About Monaro Family Support Service: Supporting the Snowy Monaro Community
Monaro Family Support Service (MFSS) is a key organisation for community support within the Snowy Monaro region. The area is prone to disasters caused by natural hazards such as bushfires, and the MFSS team recognised a gap in proactive disaster management strategies within the area.
With funding from the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), MFSS set out to address this challenge through the 'Community Sector Disaster Capability and Resilience Program'. Seeking expertise in facilitation and disaster recovery, MFSS partnered with Folket Consultancy to develop and host a workshop for local community organisations and services.
The Task and Process: Designing and Executing the Workshop
MFSS sought help from Folket Consultancy to design and execute a workshop that would bring together stakeholders to formulate a cohesive disaster management strategy. This involved identifying community sector involvement in emergency management, enhancing coordination with emergency services partners, and promoting organisational preparedness.
Folket Consultant Danielle O’Hara led the project, drawing upon her expertise in facilitation and background in conflict resolution in disaster recovery and emergencies. The collaboration began with a comprehensive exploration meeting to understand MFSS's needs and desired outcomes, which informed the workshop's objectives and framework.
Workshop Design: Crafting Objectives and Agenda
The workshop design was centered around three key objectives identified in collaboration with MFSS:
Developing a Unified Message: Participants worked together to articulate a clear, united message regarding the local value of community sector organisations in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
Coordinating Community Involvement: The workshop aimed to outline a plan for community sector engagement in emergency management, including mapping skills, resources, and knowledge within the community.
Engaging with Emergency Services: Participants explored opportunities for collaboration with emergency services partners, such as SES, RFS, police, and local/state government, to enhance disaster management efforts.
Folket Consultancy crafted a workshop agenda aligned with these objectives, ensuring active participation and contribution from all stakeholders. The workshop comprised four interactive sessions:
Interactive Workshop Sessions: Building Disaster Management Skills
Response: Participants engaged in scenarios to highlight the important role of the community sector during a disaster.
Recovery: Discussions centred around post-disaster recovery strategies, focusing on rebuilding community unity, assisting vulnerable groups, and fostering long-term resilience.
Preparedness and Planning: Participants took a proactive approach to disaster preparedness, identifying priorities and formulating plans to strengthen community readiness.
Wrap-Up: The session concluded with reflections, where participants shared insights, suggestions, and commitments to enhancing community resilience.
A total of 37 participants joined the workshop, including representatives from the community sector, local government, and state government. Some participants had been involved in disasters for many years; for others, it was the first time they had considered the impact of disasters on their service and their potential role.
Key Outcomes: Strengthening Community Disaster Management
Key outcomes of the workshop included the development of a unified message, formulation of a community sector involvement plan, and identification of collaborative projects with emergency services partners. Folket Consultancy summarised these outcomes in a comprehensive report distributed to all participants, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Folket Consultancy's and our Role in Supporting Community Collaboration and Resilience
Folket Consultancy is proud to have played a role in strengthening the disaster management capabilities of the Snowy-Monaro area. We look forward to continuing our work in developing and facilitating workshops and supporting communities in their efforts to work collaboratively and support their people.
For more information about Folket Consultancy and our expertise in developing and facilitating community workshops, forums, and discussions, please contact us.
About Folket Consultancy
Hej! "Folket" is Swedish and means "The People", think 'folks' in English. We’re a boutique consultancy based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Founded by Linda Karlsson, Folket Consultancy is a collective of experienced consultants. Our team of folks love to work on collaborative projects that create an impact in our communities. Between us, we offer expertise in evaluation, research, facilitation of workshops and community consultation, co-design and program development, community and stakeholder engagement, as well as strategic communication. We tailor our team and services to your needs. Do you think you have a Folket job? Let’s explore how we can collaborate, contact Folket Consultancy here.