Building Community Resilience in West Auckland
As the impacts of global climate change intensify, communities in West Auckland are taking action to adapt, reduce carbon emissions, build resilience, and prepare for the increasing risks of extreme weather events. Community Waitākere’s resilience facilitator role is at the heart of this mahi, working closely with residents to develop hyper-local, community-led disaster readiness and response activities. The project is focused on fostering collective preparedness, helping communities come together to address the challenges of climate change. One of the key strengths of this project is its focus on hyper-local readiness. Streets, neighbourhoods, and vulnerable areas are particularly important, as not everyone has access to a Civil Defence Centre or Emergency Community Hub nearby and the growing severity and scale of climate change impacts mean that external help may be overwhelmed initially.
Over the past year, the project has engaged hundreds of residents through workshops, presentations, displays and mentoring, sparking the formation of seven new resilience groups, as well as supporting existing groups and networks. These efforts are showing how simple, collective actions—like getting to know your neighbours, mapping local resources, and setting up communication networks—can make a huge difference in disaster readiness. Resilience Facilitator, Shalema, shares real-life challenges, insights, and successes from her experience as a community volunteer. She led the creation of a resilience plan in Karekare, saw it tested during Cyclone Gabrielle in a highly impacted area, and guided efforts in the aftermath. Her mahi in 2024 helped to fast-track and streamline efforts, helping to bring projects within reach for groups and leaders. The approach taken in this project supports locally unique and diverse approaches and highlights the value of community-specific knowledge and wisdom. It is grounded in an understanding that community capacity fluctuates and requires a long-term perspective.
Looking ahead to 2025, this mahi will continue to support West Auckland’s communities, with Shalema leading the way. If you’re in West Auckland and want to take the next steps, you can contact Shalema for:
A customized presentation or workshop on how to prepare your street, neighbourhood, or community for disasters
Hands-on support in creating a resilience or preparedness plan for your area
Assistance in taking the next steps with an established resilience group or network
A Climate Fresk workshop—a fun, collaborative exercise that explains the science behind climate change and empowers participants to take action
This project is funded by Auckland Council, so participation is free. Whether you’re part of a long-standing community network or just starting to explore resilience efforts, this initiative is here to support you. Get in touch with Shalema by emailing shalema@communitywaitakere.org.nz, or clicking the button below:
For more information on Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response plans in your local area—an excellent first step in getting involved—visit:
