Project Deliverables
D1.1 Preliminary model for assessing and methods for improving societal resilience
This deliverable summarizes first results of seven case studies on societal resilience by combining document analysis of historical coping actions and a survey of grassroot experiences based on data collected in interviews and focus groups. Its purpose is to lay out a road map for a theory guided data collection intended to enable the final model for assessing societal resilience and produce criteria for methods to improve resilience. By systematizing transversal knowledge about the diversity of societal resilience across a variety of contexts and by drawing initial conclusions about contextual and target aspects of societal resilience it provides a preliminary model of conditions of societal resilience. This preliminary model clarifies the links between contextual aspects of resilience and the development of formal and informal solutions.
01 March 2021
D1.2 Local perceptions, risk awareness, needs and expectations about societal resilience
The survey included in deliverable 1.2 is an internet probability-based panel to map public perceptions, awareness, needs and expectations for societal resilience throughout the complete crisis cycle. In particular, the proposed survey draws conclusions about the relationship between risk awareness and actual resilience and the relationship between citizens and local authorities. This will in turn form the basis for making recommendations about improving societal resilience by improving risk awarenes0s. It measures culturally determined dimensions of risk perception and awareness (combining contextual and target aspects) using social media.
17 February 2021
D1.3 Communication, social media and societal resilience
One of ENGAGE’s goals is to understand communication’s role, with a focus on Social Media, on building societal resilience. More specifically, the goal is to understand the public’s communication needs, use of various communication channels to fulfill their information needs, and create guidelines and recommendations for effective communication with impacted societies. Deliverable 1.3 is based on an empirical investigation of the public’s communication needs and their relationship to societal resilience. Building on EmerGent project, this investigation is a mixed-methods study, incorporating a secondary analysis of the survey findings from T1.2 and qualitative content analysis in Social Media. The proposed integrative study should answer questions such as: (1) what are the communication needs among community members and between them and authorities/first responders? The deliverable will clarify the relationship between these two types of communication. (2) what information sources are preferred by citizens for receiving information from official agencies/governments responsible for promoting resilience? And (3) what are their preferred means for receiving public warnings in case of a disaster? The deliverable will provide illustrative examples of effective communication with impacted communities, drawing conclusions based on digital literacy and cultural and gender diversity.
31 March 2021
D1.4 Revision of the model assessing and methods for improving societal resilience
This deliverable proposes a theoretical framework of societal resilience that enables a model for assessing and enhancing societal resilience as a way to promote a better and more efficient integration of social actors in formal disaster management. Case study analyses of crises that occurred in different societies and varied periods of time, provide the necessary data to ground the different building blocks of the theoretical model.
February 10th, 2023
D2.1 Expectations and needs to improve societal resilience
In this deliverable, we identified the needs and expectations of emergency organizations and authorities from the population to better face a crisis. These needs cover four main constructs, authorities risk awareness, public capacities, communication and knowledge sharing capacities, and public perception of trust and responsibility. These needs and expectations are defined across seven countries, which make them vary to an extent based on the country and the profile of the responder.
22 May 2021
D2.2 Formal solutions to improve societal resilience
In this deliverable we identified the already used formal solutions to improve the interaction of emergency organizations and authorities with the civil society. These solutions have been classified based on the solution type, in which phase of the disaster they should be implemented and the interaction purposes they address. In total we identified 168 solutions and 104 of them were targeted at improving information and knowledge sharing purpose; this was the most addressed interaction purpose.
30 April 2021
D2.3 Informal solutions to improve societal resilience
In this deliverable, we identified a set of informal solutions that first responders would apply when faced with uncertainties and unknown situations. These solutions have been classified based on the solution type, in which phase of the disaster they should be implemented and the interaction purposes they address. In total, 75 solutions were identified. They were equally distributed over the following interaction purposes: Improve communication, improving information and knowledge sharing and governance and leadership.
30 April 2021
D2.4 Existing communication channels and guidelines
Deliverable 2.4 focuses on describing the communication channels used by authorities and first responders and the guidelines they follow using these channels. We conduct an empirical study, using qualitative measures (semi-structured interviews), focusing on two goals: 1) identifying and analysing what communication channels and guidelines authorities and first responders use to communicate with the society, and vice-versa, taking into account the cultural and gender diversity of the population; and, 2) how do they use these channels, starting from previous building resilience campaigns, to improve the risk awareness and societal resilience, taking into account all the phases of an emergency and a disaster: prevention, preparation, response, recovery, and learning.
4 May 2021
D2.5 Revision and update of solutions to improve societal resilience
In this deliverable, we explore the difference between formal and informal solutions. Furthermore, we characterise informal solutions explaining when they are adopted and used, the role of the citizens in developing these informal solutions, and when and how these informal solutions might become formal. Moreover, how the emergency managers and authorities select the solutions that are implemented is addressed, and the importance of the contextual factors in this selection and implementation process. Finally, the final list of formal solutions is presented together with an analysis of to what extent the solutions cover the purposes and needs.
28 February, 2023
D3.1 Initial catalogue of societal resilience solutions
The present deliverable describes the initial catalogue of solutions for societal resilience, along with the catalogue’s purpose, structure, content, and design. It highlights findings from piloting four pilot processes with characterizations of solutions. Further, it describes the approach and process towards the catalogue and provides guidelines for developing the content for the final catalogue of solutions. Last, it provides some conceptual reflections, and sets directions for further work towards the final catalogue (D3.3).
15 November 2021
D3.2 Initial directions for innovative use of communications and social media
Deliverable 3.2 explores innovative uses of an AI-enabled chatbot technology with the potential for enhancing societal resilience, providing the public and practitioners with a trustworthy and resilient communication channel which can provide immediate information from every device and in every situation. The deliverable reviews existing AI solutions’ strengths and weaknesses, suggests improvements, describes approaches of innovative machine learning (ML) and identifies relevant datasets for AI chatbots. Deliverable 3.2 focuses on enhancing communication channels through AI, addressing the needs and expectations of the public, reducing the workload and collapse of emergency call centres during a surge of requests, neutralising false information, and distributing unbiased messages. The result of this deliverable is a design concept and a blueprint of an AI chatbot for emergencies and disasters, addressing questions of the design and implementation of the AI chatbot.
14 September 2021
D3.3 Final catalogue of societal resilience solutions
The present deliverable entails a systematic description of the final catalogue of solutions that ENGAGE has developed, the process of collecting and developing information, guidelines for creating content, the implementation of the catalogue, and examples from its content. Moreover, it provides a full overview of the steps towards finalising the catalogue.
D3.4 Directions for innovative communication and social media solutions
D3.4 revisits the findings of D3.2, adapting to the rapid advancements in AI and chatbot technologies, notably the emergence of GPT-4 and ChatGPT. Aiming to bolster societal resilience, this deliverable refines the AI chatbot blueprint, integrating stakeholder feedback, technological progress, and insights from the eDelphi consensus. The revised blueprint, underpinned by expert consensus, emphasizes user-centricity, real-time information, and misinformation counteraction. The prototype showcases the chatbot’s potential in emergency warning systems, while additional solutions explore the roles of SML, VR, and AR in emergency communication. Recommendations advocate for a user-focused, culturally sensitive approach, emphasizing continuous feedback and collaboration for effective AI integration in emergency management.
D5.3 Contribution to SENDAI, policy and standardization
This deliverable summarizes the work that ENGAGE has carried out in relation to policy on the topics of crisis communication and involving spontaneous volunteers in disaster management. This document describes the methodology from which the policy recommendations and subsequent policy briefs were formulated, as well as the activities that were carried out to disseminate the recommendations and ensure that feedback from a wide range of stakeholders was obtained. This document also outlines the content of the ENGAGE white paper, delineates the manner in which the ENGAGE outputs contribute to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and identifies relevant standardization instruments. This deliverable also includes conclusions and recommendations for ways that this work may be carried forward or developed further in the future.
D5.4 ENGAGE Website
This deliverable outlines the work carried out in relation to the project website which was available in December 2020 at the address project-engage.eu.
18 January 2021
D5.5 ENGAGE Knowledge Platform
ENGAGE aims at linking the informal resilience naturally inherent in citizens with the formal work of authorities to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. It brings together 14 partners from 8 countries aiming to show how individuals and local practices can interrelate effectively with planned preparedness and response, practitioners, and technology.
Deliverable 5.5 illustrates the process of creation of the ENGAGE Knowledge Platform (KP).
The KP is an interactive repository containing the project results in actionable format. It primarily hosts the Catalogue of solutions for societal resilience and actionable advice on how to increase societal resilience. In the document development process and main outcomes are outlined, research and creation processes are described as well as the main technical specification (tools, style guide, contributors). It also presents a mock-up of the platform in the current version. The document also states the reasons for the delay of delivery of D5.5, originally planned for M12.
D5.6 Collaboration and involvement of stakeholders in DRR
This deliverable provides a report about the involvement of the different stakeholders (citizens, first responders, authorities, civil society organizations) in Disaster Risk Reduction. It describes how these stakeholders have been involved in the ENGAGE project, with a description of the tools and methods used to elicit their opinions, feedback and contributions. The Deliverable analyses also their expectations with regards to the way they are involved in Disaster Risk Reduction and the problems and opportunities in the relation with the other stakeholders. Particular emphasis is posed on the contribution and role of citizens as both spontaneous and organized volunteers. The Deliverable closes with a set of comments and recommendation emerged from the project activity on this subject.
D6.2 Midterm societal impact report
This deliverable provides a midterm report on the societal impact of the ongoing project and makes recommendation for the second part of the project’s lifecycle. The analysis of the societal impact focuses on the impact of data collection and delivers an assessment of the effects of the initial results on populations in crisis, on disaster managers and on society as a whole. The possible negative and positive effects of the project’s research and products on vulnerable and traumatized citizens will get particular attention in this report.
16 January 2022
D6.3 Final societal impact report
This deliverable provides a report on the societal impact of the ENGAGE project by using the indicators from the midterm societal impact report via an internal assessment. The analysis of the societal impact focuses on work packages and validation exercises. Its findings show a nuanced assessment of the project’s social impact, stressing its capacity in changing the mindset of emergency organizations and authorities for a more proactive approach to engaging social actors in preparedness and crisis management. However, the report also points towards the fact that the project’s orientation towards formal disaster managers made it more difficult to address the needs of vulnerable social groups in the outcomes of the project.
D7.3 Innovation news and updates
The deliverable provides updates on the innovation management plan briefly described in the Project Management Manual. Indeed, it defines all guidelines and instruments to be used for the regular innovation management of the project. It describes the activities, the procedures and the roles related to innovation management. It also offers an overview on website of new initiatives, new research results, new practices and new users’ needs that are relevance to societal resilience and citizens engagement. The overview will be continuously updated until the end of the project.
10 October 2021
D7.4 Final project report
This deliverable provides an overview of the project and it main results and achievements, referring interested readers to more specific resources (websites, deliverables) for further reading. It can be used as introduction to different activities related to the development and validation of the project’s results, especially the Catalogue of Solutions, its main output. This deliverable is primarily addressed and useful to an external audience constituted of practitioners, researchers and policymakers interested in disaster management and societal resilience – especially in relation to the participation of the population to these topics.