We facilitate local disaster risk reduction and resilience programs that aid businesses and community organisations to prepare and recover more effectively.
We are "community-led" because our approach prioritises the needs of local economies, as determined by consultations with community members.
Our main priority is to create meaningful change in every community we work with.
ABV is dedicated to fostering the revitalisation of regional economies by providing essential support to community organisations, local entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises.
Connection Brokering
ABV facilitates the brokering of more interconnected communities and regions through various relationships and initiatives. This involves connecting with government entities, corporate organisations, and other relevant parties.
Planning and Preparedness
ABV provides assistance through a variety of means including the dissemination of knowledge, the sharing of information, the development of skills, and the enhancement of awareness.
"ABV are like a breath of fresh air. Most people just stay on the highway and don't stop. It's incredible that ABV actually came here."
Community Member Tristan Hennessey, Nowa Nowa.
(ABV) helped me really look at the project from a business perspective, which is something that...I had a bit of resistance too because this is a passion project for me.
They were able to hold my hand through that process and we came up with a business plan.
Alex King - Moruya Compost Club
ABV creates connections in the community. Through ABV we were connected with the Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council.
I can't speak highly enough of the work that George and Natascha (ABV team) have done. Fantastic, professional and supportive.
Nick Kemp - Secretary Braidwood and Villages Business Chamber
The Process
1
Consultation
Building foundational trust with communities while identifying their key needs, priorities and interests.
2
Place-based engagement
Working in the community, with the community to discover unique characteristics, drawing on local knowledge and resources.
3
Creating a Safe Space
Creating social safety as community holds the sometimes-difficult conversations to determine actions.
4
Engaging Volunteers & Networks
Sourcing specialist volunteers to complement local skills. Expert knowledge accelerates projects.
5
Feedback Loop
Regular review sessions keep feedback consistent and provide continuous improvement. ABV feeds its learnings into our advocacy work and understanding of the systems change needed.
Twenty-seven small business owners in Mallacoota and Orbost walked away from a recent series of Australian Business Volunteers (ABV) workshops feeling more confident, capable, and connected after participating in four practical sessions focused on business growth and resilience. Held over two evenings in each town, the workshops attracted a diverse mix of local business owners, […]
Appointed to support Australian Business Volunteers’ Resilient Regions economic disaster resilience program with the fire-affected East Gippsland community of Buchan late last year. Mike Sewell, who has been extremely generious with his time and expertise, says he’s in for the long haul. “One of the first things I do when I get involved in a […]
Small business owners in East Gippsland are encouraged to register now for a series of free, practical workshops coming to Orbost and Mallacoota this May. Delivered by Australian Business Volunteers (ABV), these tailored workshops will offer local business owners hands-on support, practical tools, and expert advice to help their businesses grow and adapt in an […]
The 2019/2020 Australian bushfires were a catastrophic event with devastating impact across regional communities. Burning up to 19 million hectares, destroying thousands of homes, and impacting nearly three billion animals, the impact of these fires can still be felt today. Communities like those in Gippsland, have worked tirelessly through recovery to rebuild homes, livelihoods and […]
Paris Brooke, Co-founder & CEO of Wilderness Collective Moving to the coastal town of Mallacoota with her family in 2019, Wilderness Collective CEO and Co-Founder, Paris Brooke, never expected to lay-down lasting roots in the community, let alone be one of five women dedicated to transforming the town’s local economy.  “As a family we were […]
Why community-led disaster recovery remains the missing piece of the puzzle for disaster management in Australia, and what we can do about it. On the back of devastating fires through Black Friday and the rising impact of climate change, the Australian Government commissioned independent reviews of disaster funding and community preparedness. In 2023 the Glasser […]
As extreme fire danger continues across Victoria today with bushfires in the Grampians burning out of control, we know only too well the very real displacement and devastation that is once again, knocking on people's doors. Our team at ABV has worked with communities across Victoria and the Eastern seaboard who have long experienced the […]
As we head into the end of the year, we invariably start thinking about who our tribe is - our family that we're born to, the family we create, the networks and people that have become our tribe... Who do you turn to in times of need and celebration? Who are your community? The term […]
