New residents prepped for the worst

A BENDIGO-based program aimed at preparing refugees for extreme weather events could be useful to other communities across the state, according to Bendigo Community Health Services.

BCHS shows about 6000 new arrivals to the region over the past six months took the organisation’s Emergency Preparedness program, which is in its fourth year.

The program is made up of videos in Karen, Dari, and Dinka, and information sessions with CFA, the SES, municipal representatives, and BCHS staff who provided language assistance.

Other resources and fact sheets are also produced, and the program includes sessions for emergency service workers to train participants to spread the information within their communities.

BCHS senior leader refugee and cultural diversity Kaye Graves said the program was created by BCHS former refugee staff, multicultural communities, and emergency services.

“It’s really important to have VICSES, CFA, and the City of Greater Bendigo council involved because they make sure the content is correct, and we make sure it’s easily understood,” Ms Graves said.

“It’s also about building the capacity of our emergency services to understand the pre-and-post settlement experience of people and the challenges they face in Australia, and how best to help them in an emergency situation.

“People who are new to our city are really worried about fire, heat, and flood events. There is real fear. They need a tailored, targeted approach to safely living in Bendigo.”