Koneksi update December 2024
Engaging Vulnerable Communities: A Toolkit for Climate Resilience
Final workshop
Seminyak | 6, 7, 8 December 2024
With this project now in its final stage, all team members from all three streams of the project recently came together in Eastern Indonesia for a three-day workshop to reflect, connect and finalise key project outputs. The team from across Eastern Indonesia and Australia represented diverse backgrounds and faiths. Others who couldn’t join in person were able to join the discussions via Zoom.
Across the three days, time was allocated to focus on finalising the key outputs - four scholarly journal articles, two policy briefs, and the website to house the digital resources - referred to as "The Toolkit".
The workshop provided valuable opportunities for honest reflection on the project’s methodological approaches, progress and outcomes. A key highlight was the emergence of the research methodologies as a significant contribution to new knowledge. Over the past year, researchers have built deep, meaningful connections with local communities, placing the communities at the heart of the research. These methodologies, developed through collaboration and community involvement, are integral to the findings, highlighting the importance of inclusive, community-centered research in addressing challenges presented by climate change.
Other enhancements include the planning of a children’s book pilot which is an additional output, and the new project title which more accurately reflects the project design and outputs.
The project will finish at the end of January 2025 with the delivery of the project commitments and the launch of the website. This will close 18 months of collaboration, connection and community focused inquiry to develop an evidence based toolkit for climate change resilience for communities in Eastern Indonesia.
Reflections from participants
Berti: It is my first time working with researchers across Indonesia and Australia and it is awesome. Trust, learning, listening, safe, happy, working. What a wonderful team.
Erlina: Working and learning with great people is a blessing. True kindness isn’t about what someone says, but the positive energy they bring to others. The Bali team is amazing. Thank you so much, Sharyn, for leading this team in such a meaningful way—it’s truly an honor to be part of it.
Syarif: Being part of this research not only enriched my skills in collaborative research but also unlocked opportunities to connect with researchers from diverse disciplines. Moreover, it provided me with invaluable experience in amplifying the voice of disability inclusion issues to a wider audience.
Becky: We’ve just finished 4 days of intense research work here in Indonesia. It’s hard to explain how transdisciplinary, cross country projects work but I do know that trusting relationships between team members is key. Meeting together in-person, talking, laughing, remembering, cooking and just hanging out together is how we create that trust. It means we can go further and deeper with our research. I’m so proud of what we’re achieved and have learned so much, especially from my Indonesian colleagues. Thank you for your leadership Sharyn.
Sharyn: It’s a privilege to be part of such a dedicated and inspiring team. There’s something powerful about working with people who are committed to improving lives—both for others and for members of the team. Collaboration, support, and mutual learning aren’t just means to an end; they’re core to how we work together and I think as important as the goals we aim to achieve.
Liz: It has been a great privilege to work with the project team both via zoom and in person in Indonesia. Through this opportunity I have developed insights into the complexities of managing a project across geographical, cultural and language barriers, with budgetary and time constraints. A solutions focused approach has the development of genuine relationships at its core.
