Resilience

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Resilience refers to the ability to effectively cope with and adapt to adversity, stress, and challenges. It does not mean immunity to stress, trauma, or distress, but rather the capability to handle and overcome these difficulties and maintain a sense of wellbeing.

Key components of resilience include maintaining strong connections, promoting physical and emotional wellness, fostering positive thinking, and finding meaning and purpose. Building resilience takes effort and practice but can lead to improved wellbeing and a greater sense of overall fulfillment.

Adelaide Hills Council have developed a Community Resilience Team to support communities to prepare for bushfires and other emergencies. The team will develop and lead the Towards Community Led Emergency Resilience project (TCLER).

(From left-right) Community Resilience Officer Megan Collins, Community Resilience Officer (Wellbeing) Sophie Millsteed, Senior Community Resilience Officer Miranda Hampton, Project Support Officer (Community Resilience) Vanessa Inkster and Landscape Management Project Officer Pia Charlton.

The Towards Community led Emergency Resilience project is funded by the Australian Government through the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery grant and Preparing Australian Communities Grant, and by the State Government through Wellbeing SA. The project runs until March 2025 and focuses on six key areas of work.

Landscape Management Project

The Landscape Management Project will develop a new bushfire mitigation strategy for Adelaide Hills Council. The project will focus on evidence-based approaches to landscape management to reduce the impact of bushfires on people and nature. Educational resources to help residents manage their land safely and effectively will also be developed.

Contact Landscape Management Project Officer Pia Charlton for more information.

Community Disaster Resilience (CDR) Workshops

CDR workshops are facilitated by the Australian Red Cross and help communities to understand their needs and strengths in emergencies, identify local hazards and challenges, and create an action plan to improve the community's preparedness. Council's Community Resilience officers will support eight communities to participate in CDR workshops and provide ongoing support to achieve their action plan priorities.

Contact Community Resilience Officer Megan Collins for more information.

Preparedness for people at greater risk

Community Resilience officers will provide information at events and workshops about psychological preparation for bushfires, designed for specific groups of people, including families with young children, farmers and people considered to be at higher risk during a bushfire.

Contact Community Resilience Officer (Wellbeing) Sophie Millsteed for more information.

Recovery Ready Halls Funding

The Recovery Ready Halls funding opportunity was available for not-for-profit community organisations in the Adelaide Hills Council area that manage community facilities.

The program supports the purchase and installation of amenities and equipment that will assist community facilities to be used as 'community support hubs' after a disaster or emergency.

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

Applications for this grant have now closed.

Contact Project Support Officer (Community Resilience) Vanessa Inkster for more information.

Adelaide Hills Community Action Bushfire Network

The Adelaide Hills Community Action Bushfire Network consists of community members who represent local community groups with an interest in bushfire preparation, response, relief, and recovery. This project will support the network to develop their vision and purpose, transition to self-management, and connect with council to share experience and lessons learned from recent bushfires.

Contact Project Support Officer (Community Resilience) Vanessa Inkster for more information.

Adelaide Hills Council Continuous Improvement

The Community Resilience Team will also be working on several other projects, including a process improvement project around emergency management and the development of the new Recovery, Readiness and Resilience webpages on council’s website to improve the accessibility of information about preparedness for bushfires and recovery for the community.

Online you can find resources and tools to help build personal resilience and wellbeing.

Wellbeing apps are a convenient way to access tools and information to support your wellbeing.

Getting involved and connecting with your community can offer numerous advantages, including enhancing resilience and combating social isolation. There are numerous local community groups that welcome everyone and offer opportunities for social interaction.

Community centres are locally based and provide a wide range of activities to learn new skills, socialise or volunteer. For a list of community centres in the Adelaide Hills, visit the link below. For more information about what community centres do, watch this YouTube video showcasing Adelaide Hills Community Centres.

There are many opportunities to contribute to community life through volunteering, whether this be through involvement with local groups or outside your local area. The skills needed by community groups are varied and everyone will have something to offer, not matter your age, ability, culture or language.

The link below will help you find local volunteering opportunities within the Adelaide Hills.

There are 700+ active community groups in Adelaide Hills Council area, ranging from formal to informal groups. The SAcommunity website is a useful resource for finding groups like friends of parks or libraries or special interest groups including bridge and gardening.

There are a range of resources and links that will provide you with information and knowledge to help your child develop resilience.

Mindfulness helps children develop skills like emotional regulation, focus, and self-awareness. It improves cognitive function, boosts self-esteem and confidence, and helps children manage stress and negative emotions effectively. Teaching mindfulness at a young age builds resilience for the future.

Resilience applies to both individuals and businesses. A resilient business can withstand and recover from challenges through strong planning, effective risk management, and flexible decision-making processes. Resilient businesses adapt to changing circumstances, maintain operations and customer base, and emerge stronger. By investing in resilience, businesses ensure long-term success and stability, even in unexpected situations. Various resources and links provide information to build a resilient business.

Businesses in the Adelaide Hills have access to a range of business associations and networks. These groups will work to expand your business circle and provide support to help you succeed. There are numerous options so it's just a matter of finding the ones that works for you and your business.

Strengthening emotional resilience is crucial for farmers to withstand, absorb, and recover from challenges and stressful events such as natural disasters.