Archive for category: Uncategorized

DRM & Climate Change

November 16, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Stop, Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

Topic 10 of the TorqAid Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program focuses on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Change. The following components are included:

Re-visiting the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) diagram
Climate Change Explained
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Causes of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions
Paris Agreement, COP 26 & COP 27
Effects of Climate Change
The move towards Net Zero CO₂

This topic includes references to material produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the COP 26 & 27 conferences; UNFCC; Climate Action Tracker (CAT); UNEP; Climate Council of Australia; Alliance of World Scientists; and the BBC.

Follow the link below for a modified copy of this PDRM Topic 10

The 2023 PDRM program consists of 11 topics, and can be taught both as a workshop and online course. Follow the link below for this 2023 PDRM training program.

Australian bushfires & floods

October 17, 2022/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

This short blog focuses in on Australian bushfires and floods. It is updated in late 2022 when much of the east coast of Australia (as well as Tasmania), is being challenged by unrelenting La Nina influenced floods. Whilst the majority of examples relate to bushfires, the principles behind them apply equally to floods (as well as to other Australian hazards such as tropical cyclones and drought). This blog is written by Chris Piper, an Australian-based Global Humanitarian Practitioner (GHP) and Teacher/Trainer/Facilitator. With regards Australian bushfires and floods he has been involved in coordinating volunteer recovery responses to the 2009 Victorian bushfires and 2011 floods, as well as acting as Bushfire Recovery Adviser (BRA) to the Baptist Union of Victoria (BRA) following the 2020/2021 bushfires.

The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Diagrammatic Framework is a very useful approach to better understanding disasters, particularly as they pass through their Normal/Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Emergency Response & Recovery Stages. See the enclosed article here.

The Australian 2019/2020 bushfire season was unprecedented in its intensity and geographical spread. Following the fires, Chris worked from March-May as BRA for the BUV, this involving him visiting and supporting affected communities in the east of Victoria. The following two links highlight some aspects of his visits to the field.

BUV Video on Corryong, 5-6^th March 2020

https://www.buv.com.au/news/corryong-and-surrounds-from-bushfires-to-covid-19

BUV Video on Gippsland, 11-12^th March 2020

https://www.buv.com.au/news/an-update-on-our-response-to-the-bushfires

In January 2020 Chris prepared an article on the bushfires for the March 2020 edition of the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria’s (GTAV) quarterly ‘Interaction’ magazine. This includes some suggested Classroom Activities for Secondary level students. This gives a good overview of the Emergency Response Stage of the bushfires; some comments on the recovery challenges throughout 2020, this complicated by COVID-19; and some thoughts on future Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives, these including some related to climate change.

Based on his BRA work, Chris prepared an article in mid 2020 on training for bushfire-related field staff and volunteers, these people involved in recovery work within a COVID-19 context.

Following the earlier 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Chris coordinated some church-based community recovery work on a number of weekends during 2009-2011. Follow the link below for a copy of bushfire-related Project Design Document (PDD) relating to this.

Following this 2009-2011 work, Chris prepared a short article on the management of volunteers in such situations.

Aspects of bushfires is covered in Topics 1 & 2 of the Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) training program, which can be delivered in either workshop or online format. See the link to the 2023 PDRM program.

Chris Piper Resume

October 17, 2022/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

Enclosed is a resume for Chris Piper in his role as Global Humanitarian Practitioner (GHP) and Teacher/Trainer/Facilitator.

2023-pdrm-assessment

October 16, 2022/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

The link below includes details of the 2023 assignment questions for both the PDRM workshop and the PDRM online course. The assessment details also include (at the bottom of the first page) the contact details at Murdoch University regarding Advanced Standing issues.

The link to the 2023 PDRM workshop and online course are:

2023-pdrm-assignment

October 5, 2022/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

The link below includes details of the 2023 assignment questions for both the PDRM workshop, as well as the online PDRM course running from August through to October 2023. The assessment details also include (at the bottom of the first page) the contact details at Murdoch University regarding Advanced Standing issues.

The link to the 2023 PDRM 4-5 day workshop is:

The link to the online PDRM program, running from August to October 2023, is:

2023-pdrm-training

October 5, 2022/0 Comments/in Press Stop, Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

Details of the 2023 Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program are now available from here. This is offered in two formats, namely a contracted 4-5 day workshop, as well as an online training option. The PDRM consists of eleven topics, which, when complemented by three assignment questions, is given Advanced Standing towards a number of Master level Development Studies programs offered by Murdoch University. The online program option can either be contracted by separate client agencies, or individuals can join our our annual online PDRM running from August through to October 2023. Details of the 2023 PDRM training brochure can be found here:

Details of the 2023 assessment details relating to the Advance Standing option offered by Murdoch can be found here.

The link to the online 2022 PDRM August through to October program can be found here, and this will be updated in early 2023.

Individual topics (noting there are eleven of these) can be contracted by individual agencies, companies, or tertiary/secondary institutions.

Understanding Ukraine

March 9, 2022/0 Comments/in Complex Emergencies, Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

TorqAid updates its Summary Sheet on ‘Understanding Ukraine’ on a regular basis. This gives an overview of the humanitarian situation both within Ukraine itself, and in surrounding countries. It includes links to material produced by the BBC, Humanitarian Response, ReliefWeb, OCHA and ACAPS websites; a number of key maps; a brief overview of the background context and current humanitarian situation; and relevant material produced by the above named agencies, as well as the International Crisis Group, The World Bank, and Groupe URD. See the link below for this Summary Sheet updated to early October 2022.

Ukraine, together with Afghanistan, and the Rohingya in Bangladesh are taught as complex emergency/crisis case studies (Topics 07 & 08) in the ongoing online, accredited Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program – see link below for this.

Tonga volcano tsunami

January 20, 2022/0 Comments/in Humanitarian Issues, Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

TorqAid has produced a brief Summary Sheet on the Tongan volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunami of the 15th January. This directs the reader towards the ReliefWeb site where all key reports, maps and infographics are held. The key Situation Reports (Sitreps) to follow are those by the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), and UNOCHA. The Summary Sheet is below.

In the coming weeks and months a complex and sophisticated recovery program will develop. This will be Government led, by supported by national and international stakeholders, and focus on affected individuals and communities. It will cover the following ten sectors: Coordination & Logistics; Essential Services (water, power, telecommunications); Safety & Protection; Communications; Health, Nutrition & WASH; Emergency Shelter & Non Food Items (NFI); Food Security & Livelihoods (FSL); Education; Economic & Social Recovery; and Reconstruction.

Humanitarian-training

January 7, 2022/0 Comments/in Complex Emergencies, Humanitarian Issues, Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

Throughout 2022, TorqAid training will focus in on two main types of humanitarian training. The first is the longer Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program or workshop, which, when accompanied by three assignment questions, is an accredited course. The PDRM consists of ten topics, each of which has a designated Topic Code (TC). Complementary to this is a Short Course (SC) program, where the ten topics can be taught separately. The article below explains these options.

This article includes:

An overview of the overall PDRM/SC programs, together with (in Annex A), details of the ten topics (with their Topic Codes = TCs)
A section which includes the trainer/facilitator background; course delivery options; and information on costs

One of the items is the online, accredited, PDRM program which runs from the 25th July through to the 14th october 2022. For details of this, go to:

PDRM-SC-topics

November 10, 2021/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by Chris Piper

Throughout 2022, TorqAid training will focus in on ten humanitarian topics. These will be incorporated in the longer, accredited, Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program, as well as individual Short Course (SC) topics. The link below includes an article which explains these 10 topics.

This article includes:

An overview of the overall PDRM/SC program, in particular highlighting the term ‘participatory’
A summary of each of the topics
A final section which includes the trainer/facilitator background; course delivery options; and information on costs