Engaging vulnerable populations in preparedness and response: a local government context
This paper shares the results of a community survey that was conducted in Logan, a city south of Brisbane, Australia, to better understand the challenges of engaging vulnerable population groups in preparedness and response. The survey identified a trend of passivity towards preparedness. It also found that information from traditional mass media and family members was preferred and trusted. Based on these findings, a two-pronged approach is recommended that combines the use of traditional mass media and digital media with proactive face-to-face engagement to improve outcomes.
Engaging communities proactively in preparedness and response is key to building a cohesive and resilient community. In Australia, responsibility for community engagement often falls to local government. While community-level engagement in emergency and disaster management is necessary, two demographic groups: low socio-economic; and culturally and linguistically diverse populations (hereafter referred to as vulnerable population groups) are of particular interest from an emergency and disaster management planning perspective as they are often exposed to, and are least prepared for, emergency and disaster events. This is due to factors including a lack of housing affordability, low literacy levels and diversity in cultural backgrounds.
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