Community engagement is essential for building disaster resilience that reflects real needs and everyday realities. Within TOGETHER, engagement activities are designed not only to share project outcomes but also to create opportunities for citizens to reflect on preparedness, discuss local challenges, and contribute to co-creating more inclusive approaches to disaster risk management.
Since summer 2026, the Centre for Integrated Emergency Management (CIEM) at the University of Agder is organizing a series of community engagement workshops across Southern Norway. Bringing together citizens from different age groups and backgrounds such as women, immigrants, inhabitants and academics, the workshops explore how people understand their role in emergency preparedness and what support they need to become more actively involved in disaster risk management.
Through facilitated discussions and reflection exercises, participants have considered questions such as what it means to be prepared, what type of information is consumed, and how communities can support one another during crises. These conversations have highlighted the importance of social networks, trust in authorities, clear communication, and practical preparedness measures that are relevant to local contexts.
The workshops are also helping researchers better understand how preparedness is perceived by citizens and where gaps exist between official expectations and everyday realities. By connecting community perspectives with TOGETHER’s broader research activities, these engagement efforts contribute valuable insights for developing more inclusive, citizen-centered approaches to resilience and disaster preparedness across Europe.
The CIEM team continues to conduct these workshops throughout the end of the year. If you are interested feel free to contact the CIEM team for more information:
Jaziar Radianti (jaziar.radianti@uia.no )
Terje Gjøsæter (terje.gjosater@uia.no)
Lucia Castro Herrera (lucia.c.herrera@uia.no)