Published works

This report outlines progress in the North Australian Fire and Natural Hazard Training project.  The project is part of a program of action research projects based at Charles Darwin University entitled “Building Community Resilience in Northern Australia”.  This program includes both physical and social science research into natural and cultural processes that impact upon the vulnerability and resilience of remote north Australian communities. 

The Building Community Resilience in Northern Australia program has a strong focus of participatory action research to encourage and enhance existing nodes of capability and excellence.  The most prominent of these for fire and emergency management are remote Aboriginal Ranger groups.  These groups have grown substantially in the last decade and have built a solid base of capacity by ensuring skills, knowledge and qualifications in relevant fields.  In contrast to the more widely reported ‘deficit’ model of remote communities – communities with Ranger groups are moving to develop the social infrastructure that underpins disaster resilience; employment, social networks and communication.

The North Australian Fire and Natural Hazard Training project aims to provide a ‘next-generation’ training program that builds on these current assets in the north such as the ranger programs and leads to increasing levels of competence and confidence and in its turn, resilience. The project is a response to north Australian stakeholder concerns that existing training is inadequate for their needs.

The project was late to start, but has now completed 10 new training units and a pilot delivery undertaken in June 2017.  In keeping with the participatory mode for the wider project in which the training project sits, ARPNet conducted research into local fire management knowledge including facilitating workshops on traditional leadership as it relates to emergency management in preparation for the pilot. ARPNet is also in the process of completing a critical evaluation of the pilot to inform amendments to all elements of the program.

This year’s progress has been centered on workshops to develop and conduct a pilot training.

A workshop was held in July 2016 to develop concepts around Aboriginal leadership for BNH Management. This was held at Limurlee on the Blythe River in central Arnhem Land. The workshop brought forth important conceptual information around indigenous leadership structures and key skills and knowledge Aboriginal BNH and land managers need to operate successfully.

A pilot training program was held at Malyangarngak south of Ramingining, also in central Arnhem Land. This pilot trialled three key components of the course material developed for the project. A range of features were identified as being highly successful, while a range of elements need further work before the package is complete.

Evaluation of the pilot has been outsourced to ARPNet and a draft report is expected at the end of September 2017.