Chris Piper is a multi-skilled Global Humanitarian Practitioner (GHP); Community Engagement Practitioner (CEP); Teacher/Trainer/Facilitator; Bangladesh/Rohingya Expert; and Bushfire Recovery Adviser (BRA). Follow the links to these five profiles below:
Invalid download ID. Invalid download ID. Invalid download ID. Invalid download ID. Download
In May 2018, Chris carried out a one day Disaster Risk Management (DRM) program for BRAC in Cox’s Bazar, as part of his assignment there with UNDP. Enclosed is a summary of that one day DRM workshop, this including recommendations for future similar workshops.
DownloadEnclosed is a customised TorqAid Humanitarian & Development Bibliography, with details highlighted of material relating to earthquakes and tsunamis. This includes publications on:
– General information (by ACAPS & ALNAP)
– The 2018 Sulawesi earthquake/tsunami, and Lombok earthquake
– The 2018 PNG earthquake
– The 2015 Nepal earthquake
– The 2011 Japan earthquake, tsunami & nuclear (Fukushima) accident
– The 2010 Haiti earthquake
– The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake & tsunami
Note the article below on global disaster statistics over the period 2003-2022. This summarises the number of natural disasters over this period, together with people killed and affected, and damage caused.
DownloadThis material is covered in Topic TC 04 (Global Natural Disaster Trends & Case Studies) of the online Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program. Press the link below for a copy of this brochure.
Download
Enclosed below is an agency directory, particularly for some key organisations involved in the Recovery Stage of the 2019/2020 Australian bushfires scenario. This has been updated as at June 2020.
DownloadThis is a copy of the bushfire-related article entitled ‘ Bushfires: Is the 2019/2020 bushfire season a portent for the future?’, which Chris wrote in January 2020 for the March 2020 edition of the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (GTAV)’s quareterly magazine ‘Interaction’. The GTAV link to this is https://www.gtav.asn.au/resources/interaction-current-issues, but this article can also be found here on this TorqAid link.
DownloadThe article highlights the Emergency Response initiatives carried out during December 2019 through to January 2020, and the likely Recovery challenges which will emerge through the (2020) year. It also includes some comments on likely future Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives, these including some related to Climate Change. The GTAV article includes a number of classroom activities for Geography and other subjects.
The online accredited 2026 Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) draft program can be accessed from the link below. This program consists of ten topics, and will be taught from the 27 July through to the 13 November 2026. Note there is a 5% discount for those who register and pay by the 31 May 2026.
DownloadThe Registration Form for the 2026 PDRM can be accessed from the following link. This registration link includes details of costs and discounts.
DownloadThe assignment tasks for this online PDRM can also accessed from link below.
Download
The 2026 online, accredited, Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program will be facilitated from the 27 July through to the 13 November 2026. It consists of ten topics.
o TC01: Key Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Diagrams & Issues
o TC02: Natural Disaster Trends & Case Studies
o TC03: Humanitarian Attributes & Competencies
o TC04: Humanitarian Standards & Codes of Conduct
0 TC05: The Ten Seed Technique (TST) Ranking Tool
o TC06: Risk Management
o TC07: Complex Emergencies & Asian Case Study & the 2020- 2023 COVID-19
Pandemic
o TC 08: Complex Emergency Middle Eastern & African Case Studies
o TC09: DRM & Climate Change
o TC10: DRM & the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
There are three stages to this online 2026 PDRM:
0 Stage 1 Teaching: Topics 1-5 from the 27 July to 28 August
o Stage 2 Teaching: Topics 6-10 from the 14 September to 16 October
o Marking of Assignments & Feedback: 19 October to 13 November
The link to the online 2026 PDRM brochure is given below.
DownloadThe 2026 PDRM Registration Form, which includes details of costs, can be accessed from the link below. Note there is an Early Bird 5% discount for those who register and pay by the 31 May.
DownloadThe link to the 2026 PDRM assessment tasks is also given below. This includes details of the Murdoch University staff who handle Advanced Standing details.
DownloadAn Overview of the PDRM is given here.
The course is designed for both Australian and international humanitarian and development practitioners, as well as Murdoch University Master level students. A total of ten topics are on offer, and these are taught on a weekly basis, and in two blocks, from the 27 July to the 16 October 2026. Participants can choose either individual topics or the complete program.
The first couple of topics focus in on four key diagrams which help explain the key components of natural hazards and disasters across the Disaster Risk Management Cycle (DRMC). It includes regional examples, as well as the roles of maps/infographics and the media.
Topics TC03 and TC04 centre in on the ideal attributes and competencies of humanitarian practitioners, and the challenge for them working within a comprehensive framework of humanitarian standards and codes of conduct. Topics TC05 and TC06 focuses on the Ten Seed Technique (TST) used in Needs Analysis, and sees how this can be applied to the ISO 31000 risk management process.
Topics TC07 and TC08 focus in on the global overview of Complex Emergencies. It analyses three examples in more depth (in Asia, the Middle East and Africa), focussing in on the understanding of the background context; an update on the humanitarian situations; and the challenges for practitioners (and others) working within accepted humanitarian standards and codes of conduct. Topic TC07 also includes a summary of the 2020-2023 COVID-19 pandemic.
Topic TC09 focuses in on the causes and effects of Climate Change. Topic TC10 concludes by focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analysing how these can be adversely affected by combinations of natural disasters, complex emergencies, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and bilateral and multilateral cuts to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA).
For further details of this online PDRM contact Chris Piper at chris@torqaid.com.
Currently Chris, working as the Baptist Union of Victoria (BUV)s Bushfire Recovery Adviser (BRA) is working with the BUV and the Baptist Unions in NSW & ACT to develop a practical training program for their bushfire-related Community Recovery Volunteers (CRVs). These are people selected and trained up to provide ongoing informal support for bushfire-affected families from the 2019/20 Australian bushfires. Currently, seven key area of training and orientation are being developed, these being:
Press here for a report on the suggested Bushfire Volunteer Training program.
Download
TorqAid produces a short (3 page) Summary Sheet on Covid-19, which is updated monthly (latest version January 2022). This includes details of key Australian government departments and global agencies involved in reporting on or combating this pandemic; a brief overview on the progress being made; and a short bibliography. See the link below for this TorqAid Covid-19 Summary Sheet.
DownloadCovid-19 is covered as topic TC05 (Covid-19 & risk management) in both the accredited Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program/workshop, as well as Short Course (SC) training program – see link below.
Invalid download ID.