When bushfires, floods, heatwaves and storms hit, our kids feel it most. As the climate changes and these events become more frequent and more severe, one of the most powerful things we can do as parents is also one of the simplest: being prepared, before the next heatwave or severe weather event arrives.
This is at the heart of Ready. Set. Prepared, our Month of Action connecting families across Australia with trusted information and support.
Bringing the community together
Being prepared isn't just a job for each family on its own. It's something communities do best together. So we asked our local groups and supporters to bring preparedness into their own neighbourhoods, and they answered the call. In just one month:
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8 community events featuring our Ready. Set. Prepared resources: in Parramatta, Wynyard, Woy Woy, Bathurst, Ocean Grove, Hervey Bay, Imbil and the Gold Coast
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300+ people engaged
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500+ copies of Charlie's Birthday Adventure shared with families
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New partnerships with Australian Red Cross and local emergency services, including the CFA and SES
Gold Coast chapter sharing Ready. Set. Prepared at a recent community event
Charlie finds a home
Parents have been taking Charlie's Birthday Adventure, our children's story that helps young children understand bushfire emergencies in a gentle, age-appropriate way, into their local libraries, schools and early learning centres.
Charlie is now on the shelves of Gympie Regional Council and Lake Macquarie libraries, and in several early learning centres and schools. He's even tucked inside Gympie Regional Council's evacuation kits, ready to offer kids comfort at a stressful time. Many more locations are on the way.
Charlie's Birthday Adventure at the Tulip Festival in Wynyard
Spotlight: Summer Picnic, Parramatta
On 31 October, Parents for Climate staff and 13 volunteers teamed up with Australian Red Cross, Doctors for the Environment Australia and Sapna South Asian Climate Solidarity for a day of fun in Parramatta with a purpose: learning how to stay cool and heat-safe this summer.
More than 180 people, plenty of them kids, joined information sessions, craft, a Halloween scavenger hunt, face-painting and an Indigenous weaving and wellbeing circle. Local councillors and state MPs came along too, and our volunteers are already keen to help at the next one.
"What made the day special was seeing families from different backgrounds coming together, and conversations happening that might not otherwise have taken place," said event organiser Sarah. "Community connection is one of our greatest strengths when it comes to building climate resilience."
Volunteer crew at the Summer Picnic in Parramatta
Spotlight: Playdate with Emergency Services, Ocean Grove
On 6 November, just before the rain came pouring down, more than 20 families gathered in Ocean Grove for the inaugural Playdate with Emergency Services, organised by our awesome Geelong-Bellarine-Surf Coast volunteers. Kids met their local "helpers" from Ocean Grove CFA, Victoria Police, VICSES and Surf Life Saving, and the sirens were a huge hit. Word has spread far and wide, and the crews are keen to make it an annual event.
"Through October we've been encouraging parents to sit down and make an emergency plan, and so many told us the hardest part is knowing how to talk about it with their kids without scaring them," said organiser Laura. "When we heard what the NSW SES crews in Eurobodalla were doing with their Playdates, we knew we wanted to bring it to Ocean Grove."
As volunteer Jacqui puts it: "Being prepared isn't only about having a plan on the fridge. It's about our kids knowing that the people in those trucks are there to help, and about all of us knowing each other before we ever need to."
How you can get involved
Every plan made, every conversation at the kitchen table and every book on a library shelf helps our families and communities grow stronger. Here's how you can be part of it:
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Come along to an event. More are rolling out across November. Find one near you
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Get the resources. Can't make it to an event? Sign up for the Ready. Set. Prepared resources
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Bring Charlie to your community. Do you know a library, school or early learning centre that would love a copy? Discover Charlie's Birthday Adventure
Together, we can make sure every family is Ready. Set. Prepared.