AFTER NSW Resilience Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons's recent visit, resilience has been a hot topic.
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That is why it is so exciting that council has formed a partnership with Charles Sturt University, and our neighbouring councils, to provide scholarships for local community leaders to undertake studies in resilience focused subjects.
Through the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation, Kempsey council along with Port Macquarie-Hastings and Bellingen councils has funded scholarships for those who want to learn more about resilience.
The past 12 months has shown how vital - cooperation, collective understanding and preparation - is in our mission to build strong, resilient communities.
I really feel that a partnership with the university is a perfect next step.
You may not think you're qualified for a university course? Well you are! Our community has such high levels of knowledge and awareness around disaster through the tragedy of far too much lived experience.
That counts for a lot and you are exactly the people this course was designed for.
By offering scholarships in community leadership and resilience subjects we can build on the skills and knowledge of our existing community leaders.
It also gives you a chance to meet and share your knowledge with others across the Mid North Coast. As we have seen time and again, these disasters don't happen to one shire, they happen to us all.
So in linking up resilience leaders up and down the coast, this course offers a result beyond increasing knowledge.
What I passionately hope we see is the graduates of these courses forming a network of community champions along the Mid North Coast who not only we at council but other key emergency response and recovery agencies will be able to work with as we face the future together.
There are 12 scholarships available to Kempsey residents who have demonstrated local community involvement and I encourage you all to apply via the link on our dedicated Recovery website yoursay.macleay.nsw.gov.au/recovery
These scholarships are just one way where council can help our staff and our community be that much more ready to stand strong and face the future together.
