The Canadian Red Cross’s National Risk Reduction and Resilience team contributes towards efforts building safe and resilient communities by addressing individual and collective risks related to disaster and crisis events, including health emergencies and climate change. Through an approach of Inclusive Resilience, Risk Reduction Resilience efforts mitigate and prevent as well as support individual community preparedness, adaptation, and recovery priorities to reduce risks and impacts. Inclusive Resilience recognizes the unique and multi-layered needs of priority populations, including Indigenous Peoples, and the importance of asset-based planning with consideration of Indigenous and Social Determinants of Health and the application of local and Indigenous Knowledge.
Disaster Risk Reduction - Climate Change Adaptation
Disasters related to climate change and severe weather events are increasing. When coupled with inequalities and vulnerabilities in Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has shifted the way it addresses emergency management, by focusing on the root causes of vulnerability to natural hazards and the need to integrate disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) into community planning, development, and resilience-building efforts. Since 2015, the Red Cross has carried out DRR–CCA research initiatives, pilot projects, and programming to generate evidence-based DRR–CCA approaches relevant to the Canadian context and unified under a common programmatic goal and operational structure.
The DRR-CCA program sets out an approach, informed by research and best practices, that reduces disaster risk in ways responsive to context, vulnerabilities, available resources, and evidence. The DRR-CCA program aims to increase individual, household and community resilience to disaster risks resulting from natural hazards and climate change in Canada. We focus on addressing vulnerabilities by building critical risk awareness and understanding, strengthening adaptive capacities to enable actions that promote resilience, and fostering an enabling environment for DRR and CCA initiatives (through governance, decision-making, and humanitarian diplomacy).
Creating Safe Environments (CSE)
To ensure alignment with the CRC Indigenous Peoples Framework, Risk Reduction and Resilience actions in support of Indigenous communities are defined under 'Creating Safe Environments' (CSE). CSE models a community engagement process that considers RR against disasters, violence and health and ensures the demonstration of our Indigenous People’s Framework guiding principles and standards.
Help Desk for Indigenous Leadership
The Help Desk is a standing modality (virtual), along with direct community engagement (in-person), for the delivery of RR/R across longer-term programming, which can pivot to direct support in response. To extend CRC capabilities and expertise in support of Emergency Management operations, Risk Reduction and Resilience can pivot Indigenous RR/R program structures to support operations (response and recovery). Such support is delivered through programs, including the Help Desk for Indigenous Leadership.
Contact us
"Think of us as an extension of your workforce."
The Help Desk is available seven days a week. Messages will be responded to within 24 hours.
1-833-937-1597 (Toll Free)
indigenousprogramshelpdesk@redcross.ca