Climate change escalates natural disaster risks globally and in Australia. The ClimatePods project seeks to address this challenge by developing innovative tools for community-level disaster preparedness, focusing on empowering existing social networks.

Current Australian disaster preparedness resources focus on individual households, formal community groups or place-based communities. These models often rely on formal agency involvement, requiring significant time investment and attracting primarily well-off participants. This approach can exclude those with work or caring responsibilities and may not adequately address diverse community needs.

ClimatePods targets a critical gap: preparedness at the community-of-interest level. These naturally occurring social networks —such as friendship circles or extended family groups—possess high levels of bonding social capital. Leveraging existing relationships, reciprocity and trust, these groups can mobilize quickly during and after crises and provide crucial social support.

Our research aims to empower these communities-of-interest through several key objectives:

1. Develop the ClimatePods model for interest-based community preparedness

2. Design and test a 'kitchen table conversation' resource kit

3. Conduct workshops with diverse demographics to refine these tools

4. Create guidance materials for implementing the ClimatePods approach

Outcomes will include a scoping review of community resilience models and a freely downloadable ClimatePods resource kit. By focusing on flexible, inclusive strategies, this project seeks to enhance local climate resilience through accessible, empowering, and adaptive preparedness strategies and foster long-term community preparedness. Our goal is to foster long-term community readiness, reducing reliance on formal aid and improving overall disaster resilience.

In the ClimatePods project, Elise collaborates with Dr Sophie Yates (ANU) and Dr Katie Moon (UNSW Canberra).