Strategic Review of the Handbook Collection

Explore the full range of Handbooks in the Handbooks Collection

In 2023-24 AIDR undertook a strategic review of the Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection.

The purpose of the review was to understand how the Handbooks aligned with national policy frameworks and to understand how they are being used.

The purpose of the Handbooks

Provides an authoritative, trusted and freely available source of knowledge about disaster resilience principles in Australia

Aligns national disaster resilience strategy and policy with practice, by guiding and supporting jurisdictions, agencies and other organisations and individuals in their implementation and adoption

Highlights and promotes the adoption of good practice in building disaster resilience in Australia

Builds interoperability between jurisdictions, agencies, the private sector, local businesses and community groups by promoting use of a common language and coordinated, nationally agreed principles.

Background

The first publications in the original Australian Emergency Manual Series (‘Manual Series’) were mainly skills reference manuals produced from 1989 onwards. In August 1996, on advice from the National Emergency Management Principles and Practice Advisory Group, the Manual Series was expanded to include a more comprehensive range of emergency management principles and practice reference publications.

Since 2011, the Manual Series has been developed to help the management and delivery of support services in a disaster context. It comprises principles, strategies and actions compiled by practitioners with management and service-delivery experience in a range of disaster events.

In 2016, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) was appointed custodian of the handbooks and manuals in the series. Now known as the Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection (‘the Collection’), AIDR continues to update and grow the collection, providing guidance on the national principles and practices in disaster risk reduction and resilience in Australia.

What is the purpose of the review?

The purpose of the review was to consider the current Handbooks in the Handbook Collection and their alignment with national frameworks including: the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework, Australian Disaster Preparedness Framework, and the Australian Disaster Recovery Framework.

The review also considered how the Handbooks are currently being used and assessed the current process of handbook development. The findings of the report will be used to inform the future program of work.

What did the review process involve?

The review process involved several key steps:

A global environmental scan of current guidance development processes and practices.
Considered the alignment with national policy frameworks.
A survey was conducted to understand who is using the current Handbooks, how the Handbooks are being used, and where the Handbooks are being used. The survey helped to identify strengths and gaps in the current collection and provided users an opportunity to provide feedback on the current collection.
Interviews and meetings with key stakeholders.
Development of the future program of work.

How can I get involved in the review?

The review period has now concluded. For enquiries related to the review or the report, please contact the AIDR Knowledge Development team via enquiries@aidr.org.au

Recommendations of the review

Develop a DRR Guidance Development practice paper for publication in the Australian Journal of Emergency Management.
Explore the further development of handbook working groups into topic specific communities of practice.
That a program of work is developed by the AIDR Knowledge Development team scoping potential topics for handbooks and companions, based on the gaps in guidance identified in the mapping of handbooks against disaster management frameworks.
A framework for the handbooks is adopted that structures the handbooks into foundational, functional, and driving change purposes.
That new foundational content on DRR and resilience, and recovery is developed to conceptually underpin the functional handbooks. Foundations of response could also be considered, in conjunction with AFAC and NEMA’s EMR Division.
That stronger connections to the DRR/EM policy arrangements be developed to ensure that the handbooks are informed by policy developments.
That a mechanism be developed to enable high-level best practice, technical advice to inform the knowledge development program of work.
That a consistent structure be adopted for the handbooks that reflects contemporary EM and DRR principles.
That the consensus approach to using working groups to develop handbooks continue and is strengthened by the systematic inclusion of diverse voices
That a period of public consultation/comment is scheduled into the handbook process to strengthen the content of the handbooks.
That a process for the incorporation of lessons management processes, inquiries and peer reviewed research, and other insights is developed to ensure that the handbooks maintain currency.
That a capability development program is explored by AIDR to further assist with the implementation of the handbooks through embedding in practice.