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Disaster Preparedness Games

Shaping your Shelter: A game on post-disaster reconstruction of homes

A participatory activity for communities affected by disasters aimed at inspiring a desire to learn about safe building methods, in particular “bracing” (structural reinforcement). With limited time and materials, players construct shelter for households recently affected by an extreme event. They confront the trade-offs between quick and cheap housing versus stronger but more resource- and […]

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Why Games?

Games encourage empowered action and they generate shared experiences and discussions that are truly participatory. For humanitarian organizations and local volunteers it is an active learning experience; a playful dialogue about situated action rather than an abstract discussion or exercise.Despite their usefulness, many people view games as a child’s pastime, as a medium that is not serious, and is

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The Upstream-Downstream Game

The game centres on climate-related information in decision-making at the community level, and how neighbouring upstream and downstream communities can work together to manage consequences of flood, drought and deforestation.  Video of the game, Video of the game, Video of the game in Spanish http://vimeo.com/46378989, http://vimeo.com/46378989, http://vimeo.com/45097866

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Innovative Approaches to Engaging Communities in Participatory Dialogues that Enhance Community Disaster Preparedness

In pursuit of more efficient ways to engage communities along the Zambezi River in Namibia in a focused dialogue that leads to action on disaster preparedness and risk reduction, the American Red Cross (ARC) began collaborating with the Prototyping, Evaluation, Teaching and Learning Lab (PETLab) at Parsons New School for Design (New York, USA) and

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The Ready Game

Ready! enables focused conversations with communities on disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction.  It was designed by students at Parsons School of Design for use by the American Red Cross in the Zambezi river basin.   Ready! is a relatively physical game that can be played using virtually any disaster scenario. The game is played with simple materials

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The Gender and Climate Game

A participatory activity to support experiential learning and dialogue on the differential vulnerability of women and men facing climate variability and change. Players first take on the role of subsistence farmers facing changing risks — then ‘walk in the shoes’ of a specific gender role. Experiencing the consequences of individual and collective decisions, rich discussions

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