The importance of partnerships for Resilience in Recovery

By Nicola Ceccato

Mar 5, 2024

Teamwork: Jan Phillips from Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre, Jacquie Simpson from Goulburn Flood Recovery Service, Peter Coles from ARC Justice, Shelley Graves from Greater Shepparton City Council and Summa Guan from Wellways.

Greater Shepparton City Council’s Resilience in Recovery program has taken on a life of its own over the past four to five months.

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However, none of it would have been possible without its partnerships with support services at a local and state level.

Greater Shepparton City Council manager for flood recovery Carla Dixon has worked closely with a range of the program’s partners for the past five months.

“We have a number of support agencies that are able to be tapped into at a local and state level,” Mrs Dixon said.

“The whole purpose is to empower the community and to lead their recovery with support.

“We’re that backbone in the community as they move into that long-term recovery, and if people are connected with each other and the supporting agencies, it puts us in a strong position for recovery.”

For state recovery support, Resilience in Recovery is working with Emergency Recovery Victoria to provide anything from structural assessments to support services.

Some of the local agencies they partner with include:

AgBiz Assist’s program Rural Financial Counselling Services Victoria.
ARC Justice, which provides free legal help and tenancy advocacy.
AI Group, which provides expert guidance and tailored support to small businesses affected by the 2022 Victorian floods.
Goulburn Flood Recovery Service, which provides assistance and advice for flood recovery efforts.

GFRS comprises six established local community organisations, including FamilyCare, Nexus, The Bridge Youth Service, Primary Care Connect, Uniting and Oz Child.

GFRS has been visiting community houses around the region alongside Resilience in Recovery, which GFRS manager flood recovery and family violence Amy Jones said had been a great experience.

“Goulburn Flood Recovery Service is pleased to partner with Resilience in Recovery on their visits to community houses,” Ms Jones said.

“These sessions are a great way to connect with local community members and have face-to-face discussions with people about their needs following the October 2022 floods.

“Our team of recovery support workers work one on one with households, businesses or farmers and provide information and advice to assist in the variety of flood recovery needs such as information, assistance with paperwork, referral to areas of support like a financial counsellor, housing or mental health.”

One of the other partnerships is with community houses such as the Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre, which helps host regular Community Recovery Committee meetings.

MEAC manager Jan Phillips said the partnership was important to her and the wider community.

“Overall, investing in recovery and resilience after the October ’22 flood disaster is essential for building back stronger, safer and a more sustainable community that can withstand future shocks and be more adaptive to our changing climate,” she said.

“It has empowered numerous local individuals affected by the flood, whether directly or indirectly, by offering them a platform to express their concerns, and in certain cases, witness their resolution.

“Additionally, it has positioned our town to access various forms of support, ranging from humanitarian aid, health and safety initiatives, psychological wellbeing services and environmental restoration efforts.”