Newsletter #14 (March 2026)

POWERFUL FLOOD GROUPS and POLITE CAGE RATTLERS

Dear all, 

A few weeks ago I asked our online community the following question. ‘What does 'empowering' flooded communities mean to you, and when have you felt powerful in your flood journeys?’ 

I got 33 responses and it sent me down a bit of a journey. Let me share a few responses, based on those that garnered the most  likes from peers… 

“Constructive engagement with authorities, policy input, good access to data and climate change impact forecasts, and recognition of flood action group expertise and lived experience.” 

“When ‘they’ talk about empowering communities, as far as I’m concerned that’s spin for…

‘we’re going to offload our job onto you’. We empower ourselves by learning, collecting facts oh and attempting to do their job without any funding or authority, just dogged determination.” 

“Knowledge. I know it’s cliche. But knowledge really is power. Being as informed as I can, and able to stand up for myself and my rights against the injustice done to us, that makes me feel powerful.” 

There are clear and consistent themes: knowledge, having that expertise recognised by authorities, sustaining good relationships with them, and persisting over time to advance an agenda. 

I was curious and so, on the back of a learning session on Flood Action Group strategy attended by almost 15 people, I resolved to interview people. Here is where I landed. Flood action groups are powerful when they have expertise, relationships with authorities that recognise this expertise, the support of their communities, and the capacity to persist over time. 

We often hear people articulate a dilemma. They may be unhappy with what they are getting, but there is a sense that shouting will only make things worse. Talking to Bruce, I heard a suggestion for another stance. With expertise, with support from the community, and with real relationships with authorities, you can be a polite cage rattler. 

I would love to hear your thoughts about this. It is not an entirely academic exercise, as Sanjay is rolling out our flood group toolkit and the government is attempting to come up with a sort of policy about this. 

It is also not entirely academic because it influences how we, the team, plan. We are building constructive relationships with some excellent government officials. We are consolidating  and expanding our support in flooded communities and we are always deepening our knowledge, forming a   national-scale flood action group. 

In solidarity, 

Louis