Empowering rural communities facing climate disasters

A multi-state team of researchers, public health clinicians, industry, and disaster relief partners is aiming to psychologically prepare people in rural communities for the growing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events and disasters driven by climate change.

Professor Bindi Bennett, who is a Professorial Research Fellow at Federation's National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice, will play a key role in the project that was developed and trialled by the University of New England (UNE) and will be rolled out in communities in New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia over the next five years.

The Psychological Wellbeing, Resilience, Preparedness and Adaptation in Rural Communities for Extreme Weather project is funded by a $5 million Medical Research Future Fund grant recently announced by Federal Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Emma McBride and will engage researchers, public health clinicians, industry and disaster relief partners.

The research team is building upon the framework of an earlier project co-adapted by and delivered to the small New England town of Ebor in 2023, funded by a Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grant. This earlier project was developed in response to the destructive bushfires in 2019-20. That work was an adaptation of an intervention developed by one of the chief investigators on the MRFF to aid earthquake-stricken communities in Haiti and Nepal with mental preparedness for future natural hazards.

The purpose of the initial study was to develop a mental health preparation project to help bushfire-affected communities feel prepared going into the next bushfire season, arming residents with information on knowing what to do and how to manage in advance of a potential bushfire. It also aimed to help the residents cope emotionally as bushfire season approached, allowing them to recognise stress symptoms to help them manage the situation. There were also physical preparation components.

Co-led by town leaders, it saw residents learn how to work together in a crisis, provide peer support and psychologically prepare to face a threat. A follow-up evaluation found that the approach was accessible and effective in reducing stress and increasing resilience and preparedness.

Professor Bennett says she will bring a First Nations lens to the program.

"Being able to follow up with communities and talk about some of the emotions that are ongoing – nobody really talks about many of these concepts. Burnout, grief and loss, depression and anxiety, and for our young people thinking about their futures. When something big like this happens, it can greatly impact the community," Professor Bennett said.

"For us, we're really looking at coping abilities and how we can identify coping strategies, not only pre- but also during and post. The future is a big part of the planning because we are going to have more of these events coming, and we need to have a sustainability plan.

"Many people talk about the physical components of bushfires – ads telling people to have their bushfire plan ready, but there's been far less attention to the emotional toll of these events."

Associate Professor Amy Lykins, from UNE's Faculty of Medicine and Health, says she hopes the program will have a sustainable impact on the communities that participate. She says this might be through a willingness to engage with mental health services if someone feels they need it.

"That can be a big issue in rural populations because many people might just feel like they need to suck it up and move on. Our rural communities are incredibly resilient, but these kinds of extreme and compounding events can challenge even the strongest among us," she said.

"We know that there are high rates of suicide in rural communities, so clearly something more or different needs to be done, and if we can make people more open to talking to someone or recognising that one of their friends or family members is having these experiences, having those conversations and getting people to help will be beneficial."

Professor Bennett says the program should be the start of an ongoing conversation across Australia.

"Preparedness in this area is so important, and we need to act quickly. This is about grabbing the future before it gets here and trying to do something in the now," Professor Bennett said.

"If there are small benefits and one person's mental health is improved, then that is a great start."

Related reading:

Shaping the next wave of research