Northern Rivers flood experience informs school disaster lessons

The Northern Rivers disaster experience has helped shape a new classroom resource aimed at preparing young people for floods, fires and storms.

Developed by Southern Cross University and Resilient Lismore, the Disaster Resilience Curriculum Package gives teachers lesson outlines, worksheets and videos to help students understand risk and how communities can prepare and recover.

The high school resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum and includes First Nations approaches to risk management, climate science, inclusion and community recovery.

It was written by SCU researchers Dr Sarah Crinall, Dr Liberty de Rivera and Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, working with community and industry partners.

SCU Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Education Impact, Ben Roche, said the work responded to the 2022 floods and the need for better preparedness.

‘This curriculum work is a key lever to grow resilience in Northern Rivers schools and beyond,’ Mr Roche said.

The package draws on six years of research, including projects that asked young people to document their own experiences of climate change and flooding.

Following the Lismore disaster, the university’s Floods + Me project worked with young people to translate their experiences into an education framework and community exhibition. That work later extended to flood-affected Maribyrnong in Victoria.

The teaching package was launched at the recent Disaster Ready Together Summit in Lismore.

It sits alongside a broader three-year research project, Disaster Ready Schools, which aims to develop a national education framework with partners including UNICEF Australia.

Teachers can access the resource through SCU’s website. Students are encouraged to explore disaster resilience through discussion, research and practical activities.