Networks & Communities

BCMIX - Business Continuity Management Information Exchange

BCMIX is a free and non-commercial virtual group created for professionals with a genuine interest in Business Continuity Management (BCM/BCP), Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP), COOP, Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Management.

Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit (GRRT) CoP

The Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit (GRRT) is a training program designed to increase awareness and knowledge of environmentally sustainable disaster response approaches. The GRRT is made of ten modules which are designed to be delivered in a one-day training workshop: (i) opportunities after disasters - introduction to green recovery and reconstruction; (ii) project design; (iii) monitoring and evaluation; (iv) environmental impact assessment tools and techniques; (v) green guide to strategic site selection and development; (vi) green guide to materials and the supply chain; (vii) green guide to construction; (viii) green guide to water and sanitation; (ix) green guide to livelihoods; and (x) green guide to disaster risk reduction and greening organizational operations.

Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN)

HPN is an independent forum for humanitarians to share and disseminate information, analysis and experience, We publish specialist resources for practitioners and policy makers alike and facilitate debate through regular events and the Online Exchange discussion forum.

International Recovery Platform (IRP)

IRP is a joint initiative by the UN System and partners, with support of the Government of Japan, Hyogo Prefectural Government, Asian Disaster Reduction Center and other countries concerned by post-disaster recovery process to help transform disasters into opportunities for sustainable development. It is a result of the UN approach at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 2005, and functions as an international repository of knowledge and as a networking mechanism for recovery.

ISOCARP Recovery UPAT

Google Group for the International Society of City and Regional Planners Urban Planning Advisory Team for Disaster Recovery Planning.

Learning from mega-disasters community of practice

Learning from Mega-Disasters Community of Practice (CoP) is a knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Exchange program that is established by the Government of Japan and the World Bank to collect and analyze information, data, and evaluations performed by academic and research institutions, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, and the private sector, with the intent of sharing Japan’s knowledge on disaster risk management (DRM) and post disaster reconstruction with countries that are vulnerable to disasters. This CoP will serve as a venue where experts can share views, discuss new topics, upload documents and add comments and suggestions.

LinkedIn groups on disaster risk reduction and recovery

LinkedIn is a professional network which provide an opportunity to create discussion groups on particular topics.

The following groups are available on LinkedIn:

Crisis, Emergency & Disaster Recovery Professionals
This group is intended to provide a network of Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Recovery Professionals to engage, share contacts and information, and provide assistance when needed.

Visit the group's page online.

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)

National VOAD supports the coordination of planning efforts by voluntary organizations responding to disaster. Member organizations provide more effective and less duplicative service by getting together before disasters strike. Once disasters occur, National VOAD, or an affiliated State or U.S. Territory VOAD, encourages members and other voluntary agencies to convene on site. This cooperative effort has proven to be the most effective way for a wide variety of volunteers and organizations to work together in a crisis.

The Lawyers' Earthquake Response Network (LERN)

LERN is a national network of lawyers in the US working with Haitian lawyers to implement a legal response to the earthquake in Haiti.

LERN employs a human rights-based approach to advocate for the victims of the earthquakes and reduce Haiti's vulnerability to future natural, political and economic stresses. LERN projects include fighting for safe housing, long-term, effective international assistance to Haiti, and for immigration opportunities in the US LERN will also develop replicable models for international legal responses to large-scale natural disasters.

It is led by the US-based Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), and the Haiti-based public interest law firm, the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux and was launched on January 17, 2010. Within the first two weeks, over 250 lawyers, law professors and law students joined the network.

LERN will provide overall coordination of projects through a listserve and an interactive webpage. Individual projects will be coordinated through project leaders, who will be leading experts in the relevant field. Project leaders are still needed to focus in particular on housing rights.