Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ENGAGE (Engage Society for Risk Awareness and Resilience)
Reporting period: 2021-07-01 to 2023-12-31
The current global scenario is increasingly exposing the human society to higher hazards, requiring that all individuals specifically and the civil society at large, acquire the ability to rapidly respond to natural disaster and to man-made risks. Achieving societal resilience in the face of disasters and crises requires a better involvement of the population. When a disaster strikes, members of the population provide resources and information that contribute in critical ways to the response to and recovery from the event. Their involvement nonetheless introduces new risks and uncertainties in an already complex situation. Project ENGAGE focused on improving the interactions between formal and informal actors in disaster management. Its primary objective was to make solutions to improve these interactions more effectively known and usable by authorities and emergency organizations. By “solutions”, we mean technologies, methods, guidelines, strategies or approaches, etc. Our main way of achieving this objective was to develop a publicly available catalogue in which solutions used successfully around the world are organized and presented in great detail to facilitate their identification, selection, implementation and use by stakeholders.
Through case studies, validation exercises and cooperation with a wide Community of Practice involving practitioners (e.g. first responders, authorities, and members of civil society organizations), ENGAGE has succeeded in building knowledge about societal resilience. This effort included better understanding the contributions of the population in past events, the perception of these contributions and the requirements for their success. This knowledge has guided the development of the Catalogue of Solutions, as well as policy briefs and recommendations.
Through case studies, validation exercises and cooperation with a wide Community of Practice involving practitioners (e.g. first responders, authorities, and members of civil society organizations), ENGAGE has succeeded in building knowledge about societal resilience. This effort included better understanding the contributions of the population in past events, the perception of these contributions and the requirements for their success. This knowledge has guided the development of the Catalogue of Solutions, as well as policy briefs and recommendations.
Based on literature review, interviews, surveys and extensive analysis of cases, the first outcome of the project is the knowledge generated about the contribution of the population to disaster management, as well as the identification of needs and requirements to enhance this contribution. This knowledge constituted the basis for a theoretical model of societal resilience. Informed by this knowledge, the main outcome of the project is the Catalogue of Solutions (CoS), a resource aimed at providing inspiration and guidance to authorities and emergency organizations. The CoS is embedded in the Knowledge Platform, which provides additional informational resources that enrich the catalogue, such as a list of informal solutions that emerged primarily from citizens’ initiatives. The project also explored the use of AI in the development of an emergency communication chatbot. A functional prototype was developed based on a comprehensive blueprint informed by extensive literature review and expert input.
These results were developed through the involvement of external stakeholders, especially members of the KI-CoP (Knowledge Innovation Community of Practice). This network of domain practitioners, researchers, community and technology providers was established to involve different stakeholders and gather their perspectives. In parallel, ENGAGE was actively involved in the Societal Resilience Cluster of projects from the DRS01 programme, participating in dissemination events, synergies activities and the development of a common policy brief.
The project used a set of exercises to validate the effectiveness and usability of solutions and other outcomes (e.g. usability and effectiveness of the Knowledge Platform). Four exercises were organised in Italy, Spain, Norway and Romania to include a variety of situations and contexts. Exercises were fictitious events or disasters delineated in collaboration with the local stakeholders (e.g. authorities, emergency organizations) using their extensive experience with similar events, representing a real test bed for the solutions identified in the project.
Dissemination activities and strategies aimed to enhance the reach of the project beyond the most commonly used channels (e.g social media and the ENGAGE website), strengthening and extending established links and networks (e.g with the DRS01 cluster projects), and ensuring reach to stakeholder groups. Beyond the project, ENGAGE and its results will be presented in identified practice- and research-focused events (e.g. European Civil Protection Forum), and various publications are planned. An exploitation strategy and plan was updated throughout the life of the project. Some partners continue to work together around the implementation of some solutions. Several members of the Consortium prepared joint proposals for national and European projects to promote the knowledge and results of ENGAGE. For instance, Horizon Europe projects SYNERGIES and RESILIAGE, developed partly as a follow-up of ENGAGE and involving some of its partners, started in 2023. Several results from ENGAGE are already planned to be used (some further developed) in these projects, especially the Knowledge Platform and Catalogue of Solutions.
These results were developed through the involvement of external stakeholders, especially members of the KI-CoP (Knowledge Innovation Community of Practice). This network of domain practitioners, researchers, community and technology providers was established to involve different stakeholders and gather their perspectives. In parallel, ENGAGE was actively involved in the Societal Resilience Cluster of projects from the DRS01 programme, participating in dissemination events, synergies activities and the development of a common policy brief.
The project used a set of exercises to validate the effectiveness and usability of solutions and other outcomes (e.g. usability and effectiveness of the Knowledge Platform). Four exercises were organised in Italy, Spain, Norway and Romania to include a variety of situations and contexts. Exercises were fictitious events or disasters delineated in collaboration with the local stakeholders (e.g. authorities, emergency organizations) using their extensive experience with similar events, representing a real test bed for the solutions identified in the project.
Dissemination activities and strategies aimed to enhance the reach of the project beyond the most commonly used channels (e.g social media and the ENGAGE website), strengthening and extending established links and networks (e.g with the DRS01 cluster projects), and ensuring reach to stakeholder groups. Beyond the project, ENGAGE and its results will be presented in identified practice- and research-focused events (e.g. European Civil Protection Forum), and various publications are planned. An exploitation strategy and plan was updated throughout the life of the project. Some partners continue to work together around the implementation of some solutions. Several members of the Consortium prepared joint proposals for national and European projects to promote the knowledge and results of ENGAGE. For instance, Horizon Europe projects SYNERGIES and RESILIAGE, developed partly as a follow-up of ENGAGE and involving some of its partners, started in 2023. Several results from ENGAGE are already planned to be used (some further developed) in these projects, especially the Knowledge Platform and Catalogue of Solutions.
The ENGAGE Knowledge Platform is based on existing, mature solutions that represent the state of the art in tools, methods and practices to successfully involve the public. The Catalogue of Solutions for societal resilience provides rich information to facilitate their selection and application in a specific context. Indeed, a wide variety of factors have impact on the implementation and use of the solutions, and the influence of a single factor may differ greatly among solutions. The detailed description of how factors impact the implementation and use of solutions should serve a source for inspiration for organisations considering implementing a specific solution.
The project developed best practices for communication and social media, and a guide for engaging and empowering citizens in co-creating resilience related research. In addition, the project produced advances on design for innovative uses of communication through an AI-based chatbot blueprint and functional prototype. The blueprint presents an innovative architectural design tailored to the unique demands of disaster management. The Chatbot prototype is already integrated in a Public Warning System and has the potential to relieve 112 centres from congestion and surge in requests for emergency assistance and information.
The long-term vision of the ENGAGE project was to support to achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG), with particular effect on the objective eleven: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Also, the solutions proposed by ENGAGE contribute to the SENDAI Framework for Disaster and Risk Reduction, managing to establish a broader, people-centric approach to disaster risk. Based in part on analyses of the priorities of the Sendai Framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ENGAGE developed two policy papers synthesized from ENGAGE research and results, as well as a white paper which outlines the work of ENGAGE and how the project’s outputs contribute individually and collectively to enhancing the overall resilience of societies. ENGAGE also participated in policy working group meetings with H2020 projects LINKS, PARATUS, BuildERS, CORE, and RiskPacc in order to outline joint policy priorities and develop common outcomes. These collaborations led to a joint policy brief published early 2024.
The project developed best practices for communication and social media, and a guide for engaging and empowering citizens in co-creating resilience related research. In addition, the project produced advances on design for innovative uses of communication through an AI-based chatbot blueprint and functional prototype. The blueprint presents an innovative architectural design tailored to the unique demands of disaster management. The Chatbot prototype is already integrated in a Public Warning System and has the potential to relieve 112 centres from congestion and surge in requests for emergency assistance and information.
The long-term vision of the ENGAGE project was to support to achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG), with particular effect on the objective eleven: make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Also, the solutions proposed by ENGAGE contribute to the SENDAI Framework for Disaster and Risk Reduction, managing to establish a broader, people-centric approach to disaster risk. Based in part on analyses of the priorities of the Sendai Framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ENGAGE developed two policy papers synthesized from ENGAGE research and results, as well as a white paper which outlines the work of ENGAGE and how the project’s outputs contribute individually and collectively to enhancing the overall resilience of societies. ENGAGE also participated in policy working group meetings with H2020 projects LINKS, PARATUS, BuildERS, CORE, and RiskPacc in order to outline joint policy priorities and develop common outcomes. These collaborations led to a joint policy brief published early 2024.