CREWS

• Enhance Collaboration: Enable effective collaboration between public authorities and civil society actors in disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts.

• Strengthen Community Resilience: Address the immediate needs of target groups while enhancing overall community resilience.

• Bridge the Gap: Foster an integrated approach that connects formal command models with the inherent resilience within societies.

• Empower Public Authorities: Equip public authorities and first responders with new knowledge and adaptable solutions, such as a collaboration mechanism and digital tool, to optimise their DRR capacities.

• Activate Civil Society Participation: Provide civil society actors with the opportunity to contribute effectively and efficiently to disaster relief efforts.

• Maximise Local Networks: Utilise existing structures and networks of local communities to ensure a cohesive and effective disaster response.

• Develop Transferable Solutions: Create a collaboration mechanism and digital tool that can be adapted and scaled for use in various scenarios and regions.

• Coordinate Collective Efforts: Align the efforts of all stakeholders toward a common goal for improved disaster management outcomes.

CREWS aims to equip public authorities and first responders with new knowledge and adaptable solutions, such as the collaboration mechanism and digital tool, allowing for effective community involvement in disaster response efforts. This capability helps overcome limitations faced during crises and enhances overall disaster management efficiency. For civil society actors, CREWS offers an opportunity to actively contribute to disaster relief efforts in a coordinated, effective, and efficient manner. By fostering public-civil collaboration, local communities can respond swiftly and efficiently to various types of disasters.

• Development of a joint collaboration mechanism for public players and civil society actors adaptable to regional needs,
• Creation of a collaboration model and a digital tool for effective coordination between public authorities and civil actors,
• Conceptualising a training programme and materials on cooperation model and digital tool,
• Testing the operational collaboration mechanism in extreme weather event scenarios and military crises scenarios,
• Finalising the collaboration model and the digital tool by incorporating pilot results and amending training materials,
• Training current and future experts on integrating the tools into their daily work,
• Connecting project results to policy development and conducting stakeholder consultations
• Transferring and communicating the project solution through relevant networks, platforms and projects.

In the CREWS project, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) plays a pivotal role by:

1. Contributing to, co-authoring, and reviewing the development of the cooperation model for disaster collaboration between public authorities and civil society.
2. Organising and moderating validation workshops.
3. Supporting the publication of the model.
4. Providing input for a digital tool for resource management and co-designing a training program for voluntary organisations and authorities.
5. Handling communication and dissemination efforts.

The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) faces diverse external threats, such as floods, droughts, pandemics, and conflicts, which challenge the resilience of EU communities and highlight the need for robust disaster risk reduction. Traditional disaster management relies on state actors like fire services, medical teams, and police. However, major crises reveal the limits of these authorities, necessitating local community involvement. The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine showcased civil society’s proactive role in crisis response. Yet, many BSR states have not fully integrated civil society into their frameworks, often prioritising a command-control model over effective coordination.

CREWS bridges this gap by building skills, capacities, and networks within communities, enhancing cooperation between state authorities and local civil society. This approach strengthens community resilience and eases the burden on state agencies, leading to more comprehensive disaster risk reduction efforts.