In early 2022, severe weather and flooding caused catastrophic impacts across the North Coast region of New South Wales.

Impacts included:

• 3,300 people in formal emergency accommodation
• 4,000 properties declared uninhabitable
• 10,800 additional properties damaged
• Fuel, groceries, electricity and internet unavailable for weeks in some communities.

To support impacted young people, Healthy North Coast launched the Resilient Kids program.

Healthy North Coast is an independent not-for-profit organisation. It is dedicated to enhancing the health of communities in this region.

The program

The Resilient Kids program received a $10 million grant from the National Emergency Management Agency, delivered over 4 years from 2022 to 30 June 2026.

The program supports Northern Rivers children and young people, aged 8-18, in the recovery from the mental health and wellbeing impacts of the devastating 2022 floods. It aims to reduce the long-term mental impacts of climate disasters, promoting social wellbeing and community connection.

Young people impacted by disasters were involved in the design of the program to ensure it could meet their specific needs. The program was also informed by data, evidence and best practice.

Resilience survey

Before the program commenced, Healthy North Coast looked into the needs of children and young people in the Northern Rivers. 6,611 children and young people across 75 schools responded to a survey. This makes it the largest Resilience Survey conducted post-disaster in Australia. It provided valuable insights.

The data shows that:

• 90% of primary school students felt loved, supported and encouraged by their families
• 85% of students felt it was important to help others
• 2 in 5 primary school students are at risk of developing trauma-related stress
• 46% of secondary female students showed high rates of anxiety

Next Steps for Resilient Kids

Since implementation in October 2023, the program has reached over 12,000 young people in flood impacted communities. While the program is ending on 30 June 2026, the program is being evaluated. The evaluation will measure the impact of the program and will explore what is working well, and identify lessons learnt for the future.

Findings from the first year of service delivery is available on the Healthy North Coast Website, and the year 2 formative report is in development. A final impact report will be released in early 2026.

To learn more please visit Resilient Kids Program | Healthy North Coast.