| In Queensland, the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (the department) is the functional lead agency for human and social recovery (commonly referred to as community recovery) following a disaster. It is responsible for coordinating the emotional, social and physical wellbeing requirements of Queenslanders affected by disaster.
Recovery processes seek to support individuals and communities by building on their inherent strengths and resources, and by viewing people as survivors in charge of their own lives, not as victims.
Some individuals and communities are, however, more vulnerable to the impacts of disaster. For example, people may have impaired mobility, diminished sensory awareness, multiple chronic health conditions, and/or social and economic limitations which could reduce their ability to prepare for, respond to, and adapt during disasters or emergencies.
People with low or no pre-existing risk factors can also become vulnerable to severe disaster impact for example those living or travelling in areas close to the event (such as tourists or itinerant workers) and people in high-risk geographic locations who experience language or communication barriers to accessing information about local hazards.
A key focus for the Queensland Government is to support Queenslanders to develop greater resilience and preparedness to mitigate or deal with the consequences of disaster events. This extends to financial resilience, recognising that disasters can, and do, have a particularly significant impact on vulnerable members of our communities, especially those on low incomes and with lower levels of financial literacy.
The department is seeking to appoint a qualified supplier to deliver a set of resources that will ensure vulnerable Queenslanders have a greater understanding of the impacts of disasters, including the financial impacts, what actions they can take to mitigate these impacts, the assistance that is available at the time of a disaster, and how best to prepare for, and enhance their resilience to such significant life events into the future.
The department also requires a statewide implementation plan for launching the developed resource. The department will be responsible for the implementation phase.
Note: Developing new financial solutions is not within the scope of this work.
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