Aims and Objectives

1. Scottish Government / Joseph Rowntree Foundation / Adaptation Scotland ConferenceClimate Justice: Delivering socially just adaptation in ScotlandBuilding community resilience to extreme weather eventsRalph Throp, Head of Community Resilience Policy, Resilience Division, the Scottish Government

2. Aims and Objectives Scottish Government Strategic Objectives: Safer and stronger Greener Healthier Wealthier Smarter Resilience Aim: “Scotland is as prepared as possible to deal with the consequences of any national or local emergency…..”

3. “We live in a brittle society” “Next generation resilience relies on citizens and communities, not the institutions of the state” Edwards (2009)

5. Resilience in Scotland • Underpinning principles: • Worst-case scenarios are the benchmark • Public, private and voluntary sectors need to work together • Horizon scanning • Long-term view necessary • Consequences not causes – for anything, not everything

6. What is community resilience? “Communities and individuals harnessing resources and expertise to help themselves prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies, in a way that complements the work of the emergency responders”

7. A challenge: Every day in Scotland thousands of people need to attend hospital for life-saving treatment like dialysis. If severe weather caused a problem getting someone from their home to their hospital transport, could your community get together to help?

8. How concerned are the public?

9. How prepared do the public feel?

11. Who’s responsible for being prepared for emergencies?

13. What Can Government Do? Improve understanding of risk Increase awareness of importance to act Facilitate liaison & development Support new ideas & approaches – pilots Provide Guidance, advice & support“Myth busting” All to encourage behaviour change Work under way in all these areas

14. Winter preparedness campaign and Ready Scotland web portal.

15. Encouraging integration of the voluntary sector with responders. • Resilience Advisory Board (Voluntary Sector) group – bringing together responders and the voluntary sector • Twice yearly meetings – discussions at the heart of policy • Summer seminar – updates, sharing good practice and joint exercising. • Voluntary Emergency Responders Guide • Local good practice – Central SCG

16. Integrating resilience into the schools curriculum

17. Guide to emergency planning for community groups • A step by step guide to making a community emergency plan for community groups • Where to go for help and advice • Published on Ready Scotland • Templates – not branded,can be used or adapted.

18. Myth busting: Will I be sued if I help someone and something goes wrong?

19. Progress and future challenges • Encouraging people to take more responsibility for themselves and their communities means that resources can be used more effectively. • What do we know is working? • Raising public awareness of risk • Focusing on assets • Providing advice about the simple steps people can take – individually and collectively • Normalising resilience – sharing good practice • Sharing knowledge of who does what • Signposting to further advice • Partnership’s critical – building capacity and using trusted voices. But…… • The bigger challenge is how we improve the impact of all this activity, particularly in those communities and for those individuals who need it most…..

20. Thanks.