Disaster Talks podcast - helping school communities to prepare for the future

Introducing Disaster Talks — a three-part podcast series where educators and young people talk about their experiences of disasters and their reflections on what worked, what they learnt and what they wished they had known before the disaster.

About the podcast

The series is a collaboration between the Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network (ACATLGN), at the Australian National University and UNICEF Australia.

Hosted by Laura Gooyers-Bourke and Michelle Roberts from ACATLGN, this series is by educators for educators.

Exploring the complex and multifaceted nature of disasters and adversities, each episode covers a theme:

• Episode 1 looks at the experiences and reflections of the Corryong College leadership team during and after the 2019 bushfires, including the secondary adversities that can be experienced by a community following a disaster.
• Episode 2 explores the child’s experience of disaster, as told by them in their own words, and the way in which they saw their school respond and support.
• Episode 3 takes listeners behind the scenes of the education wellbeing system and the preparation for supporting schools at a state-wide level.

Studying the impacts throughout disaster recovery

COVID-19 and the impacts were considered which assisted ACATLGN in researching the compounding nature of different adversities. As a result, the team had an opportunity to enable disaster-affected school communities to share their stories, wisdom and reflections with a wider audience. The topics can also help those who haven’t been through a disaster better prepare themselves and their school community for the future.

Disaster Talks ties in elements of ACATLGN’s evaluated TRUST in Schools trauma-sensitive schooling program which provides a valued resource for educators that brings quality knowledge, combined with practical tips and observations, supported reflections, and positive ways forward.

The Disaster Talks podcast is available on Buzzsprout, Apple, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.