"It's Like Youth are Talking Into a Microphone That is not Plugged in": Engaging Youth in Disaster Risk Reduction Through Photovoice.

Over the last decade, youth have been acknowledged as agents of change in the fight against climate change, and more recently in disaster risk reduction. However, there is a need for improved opportunities for youth to participate and have their voices heard in both contexts. Our Photovoice study explores youth perceptions of the capability of youth to participate in disaster risk reduction and climate change action. We conducted six focus groups from February 2019 to June 2019 with four teenaged youth participants in Ottawa, Canada, hosting two virtual Photovoice exhibitions in 2021. Our results highlight 11 themes across a variety of topics including youth as assets, youth-adult partnerships, political action on consumerism, social media, education, accessibility, and art as knowledge translation. We provide four calls to action, centering youth participation and leadership across all of them, to guide stakeholders in how to improve disaster risk reduction and climate change initiatives by meaningfully including youth as stakeholders.

Insights on the COVID-19 pandemic: Youth engagement through Photovoice.

Youth engagement in disaster risk reduction is a growing area of research, practice and policy. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for improved opportunities for youth to participate and have their voices heard. Our Photovoice study explores experiences, perceptions, and insights of youth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, while providing an opportunity for youth to participate in disaster risk reduction and contribute to resilient communities. We conducted nine focus groups from February 2019 to August 2020 with four teenaged youth; we analyzed the data using reflexive thematic analysis and hosted two virtual Photovoice exhibitions. Our results explore youth experiences of public health measures, impacts of the pandemic, pandemic magnification of social inequities, and the power of youth to create change. We provide six calls to action, focusing on a holistic, upstream, all-of-society approach for stakeholders to collaborate with youth in creating change on complex social justice issues to support COVID-19 recovery.

Photovoice and Instagram as Strategies for Youth Engagement in Disaster Risk Reduction.

Community involvement is essential for an all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction. This requires innovative consultation methods, particularly with youth and during pandemic restrictions. This article outlines methods used for a Photovoice project where we brought together student co-researchers from multiple levels (high school, undergraduate, and graduate health sciences) to explore the topic of youth engagement in disaster risk reduction. Over a two-year period, our team used Photovoice as an arts-based participatory method to collaborate with members of our EnRiCH Youth Research Team. We adapted the protocol to continue our project during the COVID-19 pandemic and presented our work in a Photovoice exhibition using Instagram. This article was written from the perspectives of high school and university students on the project. Our hybrid Photovoice protocol facilitated participation through the pandemic, including a virtual presentation at an international conference and online consultation with the Canadian Red Cross.

"I believe this team will change how society views youth in disasters": the EnRiCH Youth Research Team: a youth-led community-based disaster risk reduction program in Ottawa, Canada.

SETTING: The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction promotes an "all-of-society" approach to disaster risk reduction (DRR). Since 2013, the EnRiCH Research Lab has implemented a community-based, participatory program to promote youth development and engagement in DRR in Ottawa-Gatineau. The EnRiCH Youth Research Team used an existing community education program called the Enrichment Mini-Course Program as a framework to engage youth in DRR. We aim to share the implementation process and lessons learned from this innovative "all-of-society" approach to DRR. INTERVENTION: The EnRiCH Youth Research Team provides high school and university students with a platform to be heard on disaster and climate change issues. Youth are given opportunities to design and lead knowledge dissemination projects intended to educate members of the community about disaster prevention and preparedness. Students have opportunities to connect with academics, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and public health practitioners to share their ideas on youth participation in DRR in Canada. OUTCOMES: To date, this public health intervention has produced DRR training modules that can be used as curriculum support by teachers, a children's book on earthquake preparedness, an educational video about youth participation in DRR, and several conference presentations. Members of the team have become well versed in disaster preparedness strategies. IMPLICATIONS: This program has demonstrated that youth can contribute to DRR through knowledge mobilization, and support public education about disaster preparedness. Offering this opportunity at a grassroots level can support participation by youth by allowing flexibility in design and adaptation to individual environmental and social contexts.

RéSUMé: CONTEXTE: Le Cadre d'action de Sendai pour la réduction des risques de catastrophe promeut une approche « de la société dans son ensemble ¼ en matière de réduction des risques de catastrophe (RRC). Depuis 2013, le laboratoire de recherche EnRiCH a mis en place un programme participatif communautaire visant à promouvoir la participation et épanouissement des jeunes à la RRC dans la région d'Ottawa-Gatineau. L'équipe de recherche Jeunesse EnRiCH a utilisé un programme d'éducation communautaire déjà existant, le programme de mini-cours d'enrichissement, comme cadre pour engager les jeunes dans la RRC et les sensibiliser à ce sujet. Notre objectif est de partager le processus de mise en œuvre et les leçons tirées de cette approche innovante « de la société dans son ensemble ¼ en RRC. INTERVENTION: L'équipe de recherche Jeunesse EnRiCH fournit aux étudiants du secondaire et universitaires une plateforme pour se faire entendre sur les sujets des catastrophes et des changements climatiques. Les jeunes ont la possibilité de concevoir et de diriger des projets de diffusion des connaissances destinés à éduquer les membres de la communauté en matière de prévention et de préparation aux catastrophes. Ils ont la possibilité de rencontrer des universitaires, des organismes gouvernementaux et non-gouvernementaux et des praticiens de la santé publique pour partager leurs idées sur la participation des jeunes à la RRC au Canada. RéSULTATS: À ce jour, cette intervention de santé publique a produit des modules de formation à la RCC pouvant être utilisés comme matériel éducatif par les enseignants, un livre pour enfants sur la préparation aux tremblements de terre, une vidéo éducative sur la participation des jeunes à la RRC, et plusieurs présentations de conférence. Les membres de l'équipe connaissent bien les stratégies de préparation aux catastrophes. IMPLICATIONS: Ce programme a démontré que les jeunes peuvent contribuer à la RRC par la mobilisation des connaissances et soutenir l'éducation du public en matière de préparation aux catastrophes. Offrir cette opportunité au niveau local peut encourager la participation des jeunes en permettant de la flexibilité dans la mise en oeuvre et une adaptation aux contextes environnementaux et sociaux individuels.

The Promotion of 'Grab Bags' as a Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy.

INTRODUCTION: An all-of-society approach to disaster risk reduction emphasizes inclusion and engagement in preparedness activities. A common recommendation is to promote household preparedness through the preparation of a 'grab bag' or 'disaster kit', that can be used to shelter-in-place or evacuate. However, there are knowledge gaps related to how this strategy is being used around the world as a disaster risk reduction strategy, and what evidence there is to support recommendations. METHODS: In this paper, we present an exploratory study undertaken to provide insight into how grab bag guidelines are used to promote preparedness in Canada, China, England, Japan, and Scotland, and supplemented by a literature review to understand existing evidence for this strategy. RESULTS: There are gaps in the literature regarding evidence on grab bag effectiveness. We also found variations in how grab bag guidelines are promoted across the five case studies. DISCUSSION:  While there are clearly common items recommended for household grab bags (such as water and first aid kits), there are gaps in the literature regarding: 1) the evidence base to inform guidelines; 2) uptake of guidelines; and 3) to what extent grab bags reduce demands on essential services and improve disaster resilience.