Communication and Dissemination Report 1 - October 2022 to September 2023

Tracy Irvine17, Max Steinhausen1, Lydia Cumiskey6, Shahin Khoshbin 2, Martin Drews3, Paolo Mazzoli4, Pia-Johanna Schweizer5, Amalie Laursen and Jacob Pederson7, Sandro Nanni13, Dominik Hedderich9, Stefan Hochrainer-Stigler10, Julian Struck and Jana Löhrlein 11, Levente Huszti12, Valeria Pancioli8, Heiko Apel14, Katharina Demmich15, Chahan Kropf16, Sukaina Bharwani18 1. TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BRAUNSCHWEIG 10. INTERNATIONALES INSTITUT FUER ANGEWANDTE SYSTEMANALYSE 2. POTSDAM-INSTITUT FUR KLIMAFOLGENFORSCHUNG EV 11. ERFTVERBAND 3. DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET 12. ZALA KULONLEGES MENTOK ES ONKENTES TUZOLTO EGYSULET 4. GECOSISTEMA SRL 13. AGENZIA REGIONALE PER LA PREVENZIONE, L'AMBIENTE E L'ENERGIA DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 5. RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY 14. HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM POTSDAM DEUTSCHESGEOFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM GFZ 6. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK 15. 52 NORTH SPATIAL INFORMATION RESEARCH GMBH 7. REGION HOVEDSTADEN 16. EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZÜRICH 8. AGENZIA REGIONALE PER LA SICUREZZA TERRITORIALE E LA PROTEZIONE CIVILE 17. OASIS HUB LIMITED 9. GENILLARD & CO GMBH 18. SEI OXFORD OFFICE LIMITED D6.2 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 October 2022 to September 2023 Tuesday, 19 August, 2025 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 1 Report overview Project number 101073978 Project acronym DIRECTED Project name Disaster Resilience for Extreme Climate Events providing Interoperable Data, Models, Communication and Governance Call HORIZON-CL3-2021-DRS-01 Topic HORIZON-CL3-2021-DRS-01-02 Type of action Innovation Action Responsible service Horizon Europe Project starting date 04/10/2022 Project duration 4 Years Period covered ALL Reporting period number 1 Periodic report date and version 20/12/2023 - Final Communication and Dissemination Report 1 2 Document history Version Date Comment V1 22.11.23 First full draft – Tracy Irvine V2 19.12.23 Comments and Edits from all beneficiaries V3 21.12.23 Final check and edits Max Steinhausen V4 19.08.25 Reworked version for upload to Zenodo Communication and Dissemination Report 1 3 Executive summary This report reviews the communication and dissemination work that was conducted by the DIRECTED Project partners in the period between October 2022 to the End of September 2023. We have reported in direct relation to our original Communications and Dissemination Strategy submitted to Horizon Europe in March 2023. The report includes updates on: 1. Our achievements towards our expected outcomes and impacts for the period October 2022 to September 2023 2. Our project communications actvities in the period October 2022 to September 2023 3. Our project dissemination activities in the period October 2022 to September 2023 4. Individual partner communications and dissemination activities over the period October 2022 to September 2023 5. Planned activities for communications and dissemination for October 2023 to September 2024 In addition to this, we have also conducted work in producing a DIRECTED Project Storyboard that will assist partners in creating engaging content with strong and consistent messaging, as well as ensuring that communication and disseminations reach the actors who are most able to instigate the changes that are required to innovate the tools and governance changes developed by the DIRECTED Project and to assist us to reach our intended outcomes, outputs and impacts. Our goals are to deliver a comprehensive communications and dissemination programme that engages, informs and influences our target audiences and enables us to move towards our outcomes and in the longer term see the impacts we wish to make. Specifically, our target audiences include: 1) First and second responders 2) Regional and municipal civil authorities - including disaster management, planning authorities and cross regional municipalities 3) Physical and social scientific organisations - those who work in climate change, natural disaster sciences and damage and loss, governance and innovation 4) The general public - will be represented by municipalities Communication and Dissemination Report 1 4 Contents Report overview 1 Document history 2 Executive summary 3 1.1 Background of the Directed Project 7 1.2 Project partners 9 1.3 Expected outcomes & impacts 10 1.3.1 Outcomes and indicators of scale and significance 10 1.3.2 Intended Impacts 14 1.4 Target Groups for Communication and Dissemination 17 Section 2: Report on Communications October 2022 to September 2023 18 2.2 Communications 19 2.2.1 Project launch 19 Activity completed. 19 2.2.2 Project branding & website 19 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 20 2.2.3 Real World Labs/ Case study creation 21 2.2.4 Visualisations 21 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 22 This deliverable has not yet begun. 22 2.2.5 Social media 22 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 23 2.2.6 Video, Podcasts & Webinars 24 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 25 2.2.7 Quarterly Blog 26 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 26 2.2.8 Mass Media and Media Pack Creation 27 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 28 2.3 Dissemination 28 2.3.1 Tool Demonstrations 28 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 29 2.3.2 Stakeholder engagement in codesign and co-production 29 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 31 2.3.3 Policy Briefs & Policy-maker Meetings 32 2.3.4 DIRECTED e-Learning Portal 32 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 33 2.3.5 Published Papers 34 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 34 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 5 2.3.6 Conference Attendance 34 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 34 2.3.6 Use of EU Communications & Dissemination Platforms 35 3.DIRECTED Story-board creation for partner communications & dissemination guidance 35 4. Year 1 – Dissemination & Communication Plan – Partner Reports 40 4.1 Year 1 – Dissemination Plan Delivery Report 41 4.2 Year 1 – Communication Plan Delivery Report 42 4.3 Year 2 – Dissemination Plan 43 4.3 Year 2 – Communication Plan 44 Partners 45 Table of figures Figure 1 The DIRECTED Project Concept. .......................................................................... 8 Figure 2 Directed Logo ....................................................................................................... 19 Figure 3 Directed Website .................................................................................................. 20 Figure 4 Directed Work Packages linked to the Tandem Framework ................................. 30 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 6 Index of tables Table 1 List of participant: (R) Research, (L) local or regional authorities, (P) practitioners, (C) commercial / private sector ............................................................................................. 9 Table 2 Directed communications timeline ......................................................................... 18 Table 3 Communication of project launch ......................................................................... 19 Table 4 Target v Actual for communication action Oct 2022 to Oct 2023 ........................... 20 Table 5 Visualisation for RWLs .......................................................................................... 21 Table 6 Social media communication ................................................................................. 23 Table 7 Video, Podcasts and webinars ............................................................................. 24 Table 8 Blogs published on the website and social media .................................................. 26 Table 9 Mass media and media pack ................................................................................. 27 Table 10 Tool demonstrations ............................................................................................ 28 Table 11 Stakeholder engagement .................................................................................... 30 Table 12 Policy briefs and meetings ................................................................................... 32 Table 13 e-Learning and training........................................................................................ 33 Table 14 Scientific publications .......................................................................................... 34 Table 15 EU communication and dissemination platforms ................................................. 35 Table 16 Dissemination report year 1 ................................................................................. 41 Table 17 Communication report year 1 .............................................................................. 42 Table 18 Dissemination plan year 2 ................................................................................... 43 Table 19 Communication plan year 2 ................................................................................. 44 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 7 1. Introduction A broad Communication and Dissemination Strategy was submitted to Horizon Europe in March 2023 that set the first road map for the DIRECTED Project to succeed in reaching its stated goals and impacts supported by appropriate communication and dissemination actions. In this, our first annual communications and dissemination report, we will summarise communications and dissemination work for the period between October 2022 to September 2023. In addition, the report looks at how we intend to improve and enhance our communications and dissemination strategy as we progress in the Project. In this period, we have additionally developed a DIRECTED Storyboard – that will assist partners in creating engaging content with strong and consistent messaging, as well as ensuring that communication and dissemination reach the actors who can instigate the changes that are required to innovate the tools and governance changes developed by the DIRECTED Project and to assist us to reach our intended outcomes, outputs and impacts. 1.1 Background of the Directed Project The recent droughts and unprecedented floods in central and southern Europe have illustrated our vulnerability to extreme weather events. Besides climate change as a driver of more frequent and intensifying weather extremes, demographic change and socio-economic development exacerbate severe impacts. International frameworks for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (e.g. SENDAI framework, EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change) acknowledge the critical need for integrating risk governance, communication, and operational mechanisms for coping with extreme climate events throughout the entire Disaster Risk Management cycle. DIRECTED aspires to foster disaster-resilient European societies by expanding our capabilities to communicate, utilise and exchange state-of-the-art data, information and knowledge between different actors; boosting the integration, accessibility and interoperability of models; facilitating knowledge sharing; improving dialogue and cooperation encompassing all levels of actors based on enhanced community engagement and developing new governance and risk management strategies using a bottom-up, value-driven co-development approach. Key to supporting interoperability will be the establishment of the Data Fabric, an innovative, governed, cloud platform that enables secure, flexible, discovery and sharing of all structured and unstructured data. Thus, dissemination and communications are a core part of this project. Central to DIRECTED are four Real World Labs that co-develop new governance, interoperability and knowledge production frameworks and demonstrate their benefits for enhanced isaster risk governance supported by innovative technical frameworks to access, transform and integrate data and models into customised workflows for creating actionable solutions. The Real World Labs ensure the project continuously and actively involves key stakeholders in the co-development process and address topical problems of multi-hazard risk management and Climate Change Adaptation to maximise impacts. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 8 DIRECTED builds on a highly interactive transdisciplinary knowledge co-production process and an innovative digital architecture for process integration and analytics aimed at facilitating enhanced knowledge-based dialogues, communication, cooperation and “interoperability” on the three levels that are essential for integrating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) related to extreme climate events in a multi-scale and multi-risk perspective: 1) Governance interoperability, 2) Information interoperability, and 3) Data and model interoperability (Figure 1). Figure 1: The DIRECTED Project Concept. For this aim, experts and expertise from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH), provided from within the consortium, play a crucial role. Governance interoperability seeks to integrate relevant actors, responders and stakeholders across institutions, sectors and scales through suitable governance and enabling mechanisms, suggestions for adjusted legal frameworks and tailored responsibilities and financing arrangements. Information interoperability pursues a verifiably and timely information exchange between all phases of the DRM cycle through improved dialogues and communication between DRR and CCA communities across multiple levels, such as resolving issues in understanding early warnings and turning relevant information into effective and coordinated actions. In this regard, model-based information such as flood forecasts, Disaster Risk assessments, climate projections and cost-benefit analyses play a critical role in decision-support in different phases of the integrated DRM-CCA cycle. Data and model interoperability addresses the need for combining data and models (e.g. multi-risk), including proprietary resources, from/at different domains, providers, resolutions, vintages, sources, formats (and more) into highly customized DRR and CCA workflows given the frequent absence of standards, and the lack of a common understanding and infrastructure. This includes, but is not limited to, differences with respect to purpose, spatio-temporal scales, resolutions and conflicting model assumptions. DIRECTED aims to pave the way for the generic use of existing state-of-the-art data and models combined by means of open standards for information and data exchange; and to demonstrate the feasibility thereof when available tools are made interoperable. Four RWLs Communication and Dissemination Report 1 15 Economic: the DIRECTED Project outputs will contribute a range of economic impacts in the future: • The breakdown of silos e.g. between cross-boundary municipalities, between multiple stakeholder groups in the DRR/CCA process will increase the economic efficiency of work and linked funding by creating more seamless workflows, preventing duplication of spend on the same actions with the potential to more carefully budget and target spend across actors and locations. • Work that has enabled the interoperability of multiple forms of data and tools into producing multi-risk, risk assessment and Climate Change Adaptation solutions plus linked cost-benefit analysis will increase the potential to implement adaptation actions, targeted at locations most at risk, thus reducing the overall spend required to enable increased resilience by society. • Losses from climate disasters are reduced through enhanced Disaster Risk Reduction based on preventive actions, better societal preparedness and resilience and improved Disaster Risk Management in a systemic way – with the potential to reduce losses significantly over time in the regions of billions of Euros Societal: The DIRECTED Project outputs will also contribute to societal impacts in the future: • Losses from climate disasters are reduced through enhanced Disaster Risk Reduction based on preventive actions, better societal preparedness and resilience and improved Disaster Risk Management in a systemic way. • Enabling scientific outputs to more rapidly be utilised by DRR/CCA actors and also directly communicated to the general public – helping to inform potential for damage and then actions required across society including at household & business levels to reduce the impact of climate-related catastrophes. • Supporting first, second and third responders with forecast and risk assessment information they need to utilise emergency services more effectively – understanding the likelihood of the most impacted zones after a disaster and conditions associated with that emergency e.g. flood levels, types of properties and multiple other data sources as brought together by interoperable tools and the Data Fabric/ mesh • Supporting first, second and third responders with training materials enabling more efficient responses to climate emergencies Update for October 2022/ September 2023 Work has begun on a compendium on data standards for interoperability in DRR and CCA is due for completion in September 2024. Update for October 2022/ September 2023 Nothing to report at this early stage of the project. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 16 Update for October 2022/ September 2023 In May 2023 major floods occurred in the Emilia-Romagna Region, one of the Real World Labs, that resulted in loss of life, the displacement of thousands of people and 8.8 billion in damages. Between 16-18 May 2023, 350 million cubic metres of water, equivalent to six months’ worth of rain, fell within 36 hours across Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s most important agricultural regions. The heavy rain led to the overflow of 23 rivers across the region, affecting 100 municipalities and triggering more than 400 landslides, which in turn damaged and closed off hundreds of roads. The floods were preceded by a drought that dried out the land, reducing its capacity to absorb water. The SaferPlaces Platform, was utilised by the Civil Protection of the Emilia-Romagna Region to generate flood water and depth maps to take crucial decisions after the disaster and support the assessment of the damages of the affected areas. The platform utilised satellite, climate data and AI-based models combined into a cloud computing environment to provide insights into areas prone to floods across the globe. Information on the flooded areas and the affected buildings conducted by local municipalities and data provided by the Emilia-Romagna Civil Protection were also integrated to fill the gaps and increase the accuracy of urban flooded areas when not captured by satellites. Maps portraying the extent of the flooded areas in the most affected municipalities, Faenza, Cesena, Forlì and Conselice, were generated with information on the depth and volume of the water. These maps provided crucial information for a preliminary Flood Damage Assessment to support the local and central authorities to estimate the damages as soon as possible. Specifically, the satellite-based water depth maps were used as input to assess the economic losses of affected buildings. Claudia Vezzani, Technical Manager of the Hydraulic Risk Area of the Civil Protection Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region, highlighted: "SaferPlaces technology and Earth observation data allow us to usefully support the disaster analyses and the computation of economic losses." Communication and Dissemination Report 1 17 1.4 Target Groups for Communication and Dissemination DRR and CCA communities involve multiple stakeholder groups, all requiring information for different purposes and at different levels of communication. Likewise, the work undertaken involves different time dimensional needs e.g. disaster information during a disaster and the need for risk reduction and climate adaptation planning. We seek to reduce complexity and increase efficiency to access the relevant information and data needs through understanding and creating appropriate workflows where we will seek to link appropriate climate science outputs and information to make operational decisions at the appropriate time, e.g. risk reduction and adaptation planning or for training and preparation or operational response. We have carefully selected representational organisations of our target groups to be directly involved as co-production, co-design partners in the Project. Our target groups include: 1)first and second responders 2) Regional and municipal civil authorities - including disaster management, planning authorities and cross-regional municipalities 3) Physical and social scientific organisations - those who work in climate change, natural disaster sciences and damage and loss, governance and innovation 4) The general public - will mainly be represented by municipalities The Real World Labs will invite other local stakeholders including utility companies, NGOs, health and social care organisations to become part of the consultations. We perceive that the four RWL’s: in the Danube catchment basin, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia will be representative of stakeholders from across Europe to ensure the potential for scalability of governance structures, the use of interoperable tools and management via Data Fabric/ mech digital architectures. Beyond the work of the Project directly, we intend to engage stakeholders who will benefit from knowledge of the techniques used in the Project, as well as the tools used within the system and the Data Fabric itself from the four communities named above, and extended beyond the regions involved in the Project. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 18 Section 2: Report on Communications October 2022 to September 2023 In this section we will report on progress towards our original communications and dissemination goals for October 2022 to September 2023. As per our original proposal we had drafted a broad communications timeline as per Table 2. We will report on this table, as well as the targets we have set for each dissemination and communications activity, as below. Table 2: Directed communications timeline. Phase 1 Oct 2022 to March 2023 Phase 2 March 2023 to March 2024 Phase 3 March 2024 to March 2025 Phase 4 March 2025 to March 2026 Phase 5 March 2026 to October 2026 Communications strategy developed Project launch communications Start of Project Blog – quarterly blog posts to continue to end of the Project Bi-weekly social media posts began and continued to the end of the Project e.g. stories, plans etc. Website development Brand development Communications on: ● Project events ● Workshops ● Processes and techniques and the physical and social scientists/ themselves ● Building a picture of the people involved in Directed stakeholder involvement and outcomes during this phase Continued social media dissemination Beginning of conference dissemination Communications on: ● Early scientific & governance and process ● Findings from market research and stakeholder needs assessment ● Real World Lab reports Continued conference dissemination Continued social media dissemination Case study creation Research publications and related news and articles Training material and programme on use of tools and systems Webinar series with physical and social scientists Continued social media dissemination Media pack creation & dissemination (press releases for international media) Policy-maker meetings, policy briefs. Conference dissemination of results Continued social media dissemination Using the Communications and Dissemination Strategy we have reported on the actions and outputs so far in terms of communications and dissemination function within the DIRECTED Communication and Dissemination Report 1 19 Project. A report on communications work from individual organizations is also included later in the report. 2.2 Communications 2.2.1 Project launch A Project Launch has been conducted in conjunction with our first meeting in November, 2022. A social media campaign was conducted by all of the partners making the announcement on multiple social media channels and websites. Here we have reported on the Communications Lead activity and results and later report on individual grant beneficiaries’ communications. Table 3: Communication of project launch. Article Link Impre ssions Reactions Comm ents Reposts Article views Job Titles Locations New Horizon Europe Project set to improve climate Disaster Risk Management across civil authorities and first responders in Europe DIRECTED Launch LinkedIn – Oasis Hub 2293 34 6 2 285 University Professor / Lecturer 21% Founder 17.8% Consultant 6.5% Laboratory Scientist 4.7% Project Manager 3.6% London Area, United Kingdom 22.5% Greater Reno Area 15.9% Copenhagen Metropolitan Area 9.1% Cologne Bonn Region 4% Greater Aarhus Area 4% Activity completed. 2.2.2 Project branding & website Project branding has been developed to enable easy recognition of the DIRECTED Project and to ensure that the Project is recognised as one rather than a series of smaller projects. The DIRECTED Logo and branding will be used on all DIRECTED communications. Figure 2: Directed Logo. We have designed branded communication templates for reports, policy briefs, conference posters and pull-outs using DIRECTED branding which all the participants in the project will use. Importantly we have designed a DIRECTED Project website. The website includes a wide range of communication channels including a regular blog, news, publications, reports, videos, podcasts, Press information and webinars. To ease and assist communications, partners will be able to copy links or download materials and post to organisational media outlets. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 20 Figure 3: Directed Website. The Project URL can be found here: https://directedproject.eu/ The site disseminates full information and progress of the Project, as well as more contextual information on climate Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation. In addition, we have made it a central communications and dissemination hub in that all of our social media will be connected to the website, project reports, videos and podcasts, webinars, publications and presentations can be stored and viewed on the site. Table 4: Target v Actual for communication action Oct 2022 to Oct 2023. Target Groups Reached Goal Actual October 2023 Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact All 30,000 Users over 4 years Total users Yr 1 Website users 4222 since 14. February 2023 website launch – more details to come 2023 as full google analytics will be implemented in Oct 2023 e.g. audiences, reach, countries etc. Users from google analytics Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Broad communication of reports, videos, podcasts, webinars, papers, news, presentations Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024: • Implementation of Google Analytics to obtain greater audience details on our online audiences. • Improvement to website to include Product Solutions, links to sister EU Projects, Film on Homepage, Area for press information Communication and Dissemination Report 1 21 • Publication of deliverable reports, presentations and multi-media • Communications via news and quarterly blogs 2.2.3 Real World Labs/ Case study creation Case studies are being developed as a part of the Real World Labs. The idea of the case studies is to publish information and experiences of grassroots professionals when working on climate Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation and include process successes and failures and communications issues that have occurred during and after disasters and in the facilitation of cross border Climate Change Adaptation planning and action. This year we have chosen to focus the Case Studies on a comparison between the Rhine-Erft Flood events 2021 and of the Emilia-Romagna, major floods of 2023. These two high-profile flood events are likely to attract interest from first responders and disaster practitioners and policymakers in understanding organisation response, results and potential improvement for the future. We hope this will enable other professionals in DRR/CCA to recognise the friction in their own processes and potential ways to overcome and improve these. This work will also inform the development of the Data Fabric. In 2022 – Oct 2023 we began collecting the data and information required to develop the case studies and agreed on a draft index. The deliverable date for the case studies is Sept 2024 and therefore the case study development is ongoing. 2.2.4 Visualisations Visualisations for the general public will be designed for effective communications of stages of risk decision for public information to enable a simple understanding on the processes of risk e.g. prepare, evacuate, where to find official communication, level of flood that sparks decision stages – these will be designed in local languages and for the local context for the RWL’s This deliverable will begin in year 3/ 4 of project. Table 5: Visualization for RWLs. Target Groups Reached Goal Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact General Public Reach 2000 households per each RWL case study area Downloads Outcome 3 General public informed of disaster decision-making process and where to get information Communication and Dissemination Report 1 22 Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024: This deliverable has not yet begun. 2.2.5 Social media New DIRECTED Project social media have been created and developed including; ● LinkedIn discussion group – we will use this as a key dissemination forum inviting DRR & CCA specialists to the forum to engage and collaborate with us. We will also use LinkedIn to poll members on key questions that will benefit our work – thus gaining input from a wider range of stakeholders. We see linked in as the medium to engage a large network of professionals in the fields of DRR and CCA Find us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14155514/ ● YouTube for video Find us on YouTube - @directedproject ● Twitter & Mastodon – we will build communities in both Twitter and Mastodon. We are using both as it is unclear whether Twitter will keep its top status and whether it will be able to continue long-term. Mastodon also targets specialist user groups. These channels will primarily be aimed at communicating to the general public. Find us on Twitter and Mastodon Twitter - @DirectedProj Mastodon - https://vmst.io/@DirectedProject ● Instagram – has been chosen as it is used by the younger people. We will be posting small videocasts and visualisations informing people about our project. Again, we will use this to inform new audiences in particular younger people. Find us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/directedproject/ These channels are being developed by following other stakeholder organisations and relevant influencers as well as linking to our partners social medias. Relevant hashtags will be identified and used to attract other relevant followers. We will also communicate information throughout our project members existing social media channels some beneficiaries having large existing members/ followers and link to these channels with social media posts. New audiences will be targeted through linking to particular influencers in relevant sectors – new target sectors will include risk managers in municipalities, local authorities and services, policy-makers, DRR professionals and local planning departments and specific targets as they become clear after the ideation/ market research/ user needs engagement in the Project. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 23 Table 6: Social media communication. Target Groups Reached Goal Actual at October 2023 Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impacts All Reach users: LinkedIn – 200 external DRR & CCA professionals YouTube – create at least five short videos and gain 100 subscribers on YouTube Twitter and Mastodon develop followers on both platforms of 500 Instagram gain 500 followers New LinkedIn 58 members since Dec 2022 New YouTube Channel created – one 14 min film posted – 31.08.23 – 109 views, 2 subscribers New Twitter/ X channel created – Jan 2023 – 91 followers New Mastodon channel created -Jan 2023– 5 followers New Instagram created – Jan 2023 – 42 followers Analytic indicators provided on each platform Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Update for October 2022 to September 2023 We established channels in January, 2023 and are now posting on a regular basis to these social media. LinkedIn appears to be the most positively received channel, which would be expected, as it consists of professionals who are interested in the work DIRECTED is undertaking. On X/ formerly twitter we have been gradually growing and tend to be followed by other Projects of a similar nature – therefore this is ideal to act as a dissemination channel, in terms of enabling learning from what we are achieving. However, since the Elon Musk takeover X appears to be unstable in terms of the potential of what will happen in the future – e.g. talk of making it into a banking and dating app have been floated – thus we will need to keep a close eye on its continual development. It may be wise to set up channels on other/ new social media platforms to establish which channels might take over X’s former dominance. Mastodon has not really worked for us at this point and it may be better to focus on other channels. We have posted our first film on YouTube gaining 109 views so far, but this should continue to rise, as the video will be placed on the website homepage. Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024: • Based on DIRECTED Storyboard (see page 40) – plan social media content/ stories for year 2023/ 2024 – Improving outputs and stories. • Spend time continuing to follow and engage with relevant social media influencers. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 24 • Ensure all media teams of beneficiary’s partners in the Project are provided with relevant communications links for reposting/ responding to posts to boost viewing of DIRECTED Communications. 2.2.6 Video, Podcasts & Webinars Webinar series will be designed for specific sectors in phase 4 of the project communications with the physical and social scientists, and local governance actors engaged in the project, presenting and talking to specifically targeted sectors and then further engagement by Oasis Hub of attendees in encouraging the use of outputs by those stakeholders engaged in the webinars. In addition, the recordings of the webinars will be shared on YouTube and the DIRECTED website. Table 7: Video, Podcasts and webinars. Short videos and podcasts will record a range of aspects of the Project including a short introductory video and then longer more detailed videos as the Project progresses. Target Groups Reached Goal Actual Yr 1 Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impacts Webinars 1) First and second responders 2) Regional and municipal civil authorities - including disaster management, planning authorities and cross regional municipalities 3) Physical and social scientific organisations 100 attendees x 4 webinars aimed at specialist groups Webinars not due for implementati on Attendees’ engagement as collected in Zoom analytics Resulting engagements/ links/ collaboration after webinars Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7 Videos & podcasts All At least 6 x videos and podcasts placed on website and YouTube & Instagram – and shared on other platforms Reaching 600+ viewers 1x14 min Introductory video DIRECTED INTRO VIDEO Published 31st August, 2023 - 113 viewers Analytics from google analytics, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Mastodon on message containing videos or podcast Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7 Communication and Dissemination Report 1 31 this workshop were tested by RWL hosts in Emilia-Romagna, reportedly with great results. Co-production approaches were also integrated into the agenda of the 2023 consortium meeting in Cologne, with a particular emphasis on serious games and unstructured methods dedicated to unpacking perspectives of partners regarding the project’s future directions (and challenges they may face during the process). In September 2023, WP 4 finalized the capacity development strategy for DIRECTED, outlining how co-production – as imagined within Risk-Tandem – will be operationalized through training of trainers. In short, WP 3 and WP 4 will join their efforts to upskill RWL hosts to implement and design co-production activities in workshops to support transdisciplinary engagement in the context of risk governance, seeking to integrate DRR and CCA, and balancing issues relating to the interoperability of modelling systems (thus also contributing to the Data Fabric). The latter aspect will emphasize user needs vis-à-vis existing modelling capabilities, in efforts to improve the contextual accuracy and use of products developed by DIRECTED partners. Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 For Q4 of 2023 and Q1 of 2024, the focus will be on finalizing the Risk-Tandem Framework with the help of already gathered information and data, and aligning it with the priorities of RWLs, partners and other deliverables. The capacity needs assessment will be launched to further assess and contextualize the approach to training of trainers, with an emphasis on current RWL needs. This will be accompanied by complimentary efforts (such as Q-survey assessments) dedicated to further understanding the local risk governance context for increased impact and effectiveness. Informed by these capacity development modules for the RWL hosts will be designed and launched, potentially focusing on stakeholder engagement methods (outreach to representatives of vulnerable groups, for instance), facilitation skills and ethics pertaining to work under DIRECTED (latter a gap that has been identified in the context of running workshops and co-production activities). It is intended that by M36, a comprehensive series on operationalizing co-production in the context of risk reduction is finalized and made available through DIRECTED’s knowledge transfer activities as outlined in Deliverable 6.3. regarding Gaps and Opportunities (as discussed in chapter 2.3.4). Communication and Dissemination Report 1 32 2.3.3 Policy Briefs & Policy-maker Meetings Policy briefs will be created using the results of the DIRECTED Project to make recommendations towards EU and local Disaster Risk, economic and climate adaptation policies. A briefing of the results of the Project will be conducted in phase 5 of the Project to relevant EU Departments and Executive Agencies (DG’s) – we will also seek an understanding whether relevant DGs would seek to be kept up-to-date in the progress of the project e.g. how & when. Likewise, policy briefs can also be distributed amongst local level policy stakeholders to guide policy as appropriate. Table 12: Policy briefs and meetings. Target Groups Reached Goal Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact Policy-makers and senior civil servants At end of project deliver policy implications for governance and transfer of climate change science to the DRR/CCA communities across Europe Number of policymakers and senior civil servants attending meeting Downloads of policy briefs Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Update for October 2022 to September 2023 Not yet started. 2.3.4 DIRECTED e-Learning Portal Development of programmes that combine information and learning related elements of governance frameworks that can be supported by innovative technical frameworks to access, transform and integrate data and models into customised workflows for creating actionable solutions. Programmes will target vocational long-life training to support the Real World Labs, student support materials and provide support and help build risk and adaptation solutions, especially those identified by Real World Labs. In order to perpetuate learning programmes, a co-designed and co-developed “Training of Trainers” programme will be developed through a dedicated Workshop with trainers, and curriculum developed in response to needs, so that capability beyond the DIRECTED project is ensured. Workshops delivered both in-person and online will be highly participatory and practical, focusing on techniques, tools and tips of training management, with participants themselves designing, delivering and critiquing methods. A suitable e-Learning portal will be identified during the project to deposit and make available all training materials produced; this will increase the ability to deliver 21st century learning and training opportunities. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 33 Table 13: E-Learning and training. Target Groups Reached Goal Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact Specialist Groups Development of Trainer of Trainers Programme and curriculum development Number of Workshops Number of Trainees Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Update for October 2022 to September 2023 A survey was conducted with all Directed partners including RWL hosts as part of Deliverable 6.3 Gaps and Opportunities assessment, knowledge transfer for training and education. The findings provided insights into partners’ institutional knowledge, skills and attitudes around DRR/ CCA, existing and preferred training and educational activities, and collaboration opportunities with other projects, networks and platforms. Based on findings, the initial knowledge transfer mechanisms selected include the development of learning materials/ resources (to embed in student and professional curriculum), in-person intensive learning activity (e.g. summer school), online learning programme (e.g. webinar or e-course), mentoring (e.g. students, interns) and cross-project collaboration (e.g. joint webinars). Such activities were identified to to support capacity development activities in the RWLs (in line with the Capacity Development Strategy D1.2) and enhance training and education to wider target groups beyond the RWLs. Potential e-Learning platforms were identified, including the WeAdapt platform managed by partner SEI. A co-design process for the development of learning resources will ensure that trainers and educators (within and beyond the project) are actively involved in the curriculum development and testing of learning resources/ activities for different target groups (Task 6.3) and selection of an e-Learning portal (D6.4) to collate the resources. Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 Plan RWL knowledge exchange and learning webinar series including the identification of external speakers and cross-project collaboration opportunities. • Conduct four Real World Lab knowledge exchange and learning webinar series. • Test the use of the WeAdapt platform for hosting a webinar series and potential as suitable e-Learning platform. • Planning the implementation of knowledge transfer activities and initial engagement of educators/trainers in co-design process of learning materials and curriculum development. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 34 2.3.5 Published Papers Academic journals – academic partners will target online high impact journals with academic research and new methodologies produced by the Project. Table 14: Scientific publications. Target Groups Reached Goal Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact Scientists & Researchers Publication of at least 2 papers in high impact journals Papers published Citations Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Update for October 2022 to September 2023 No papers published at this point. Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 A broad publication to be led by TUBS on the wider project to be developed in 2024. 2.3.6 Conference Attendance Partners will attend and develop sessions for academic, public sector and business conferences to promote the new methodologies, data, tools/ tool-kits/ training packs and reports etc. These conferences will include EGU, COP, ICLEI, Disaster Risk, ECCA, DRR and CCA conferences – to target specific audiences where relevant. Where possible stands will be located at larger conferences promoting the full outputs of the Project in the later part of the Project. A short conference strategy will be designed to ensure that information is disseminated as widely as possible to target audiences. Update for October 2022 to September 2023 Conference details and attendance by all partners can be found on pages 44 to 45 of this document. Next Steps October 2023 -September 2024 Conference details and planned attendance by all partners can be found on pages 46 to 47 of this document. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 35 2.3.6 Use of EU Communications & Dissemination Platforms We will also seek support from EC communication hubs such as Climate Adapt, weADAPT and through other departments and platforms of the EC to disseminate our communications more broadly. We will receive guidance on this from ‘Next edition of the Secure Societies ‘Projects to Policy Seminar’ jointly organised by DG Home and REA in Brussels in June 2023 Table 15: EU communication and dissemination platforms. Target Groups Reached Goal Indicator Aids Outcome/ Impact All Publication of at least 4 articles or posts on EC platforms Publications posted Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Update for October 2022 to September 2023 We attended the Secure Societies ‘Projects to Policy Seminar’ jointly organised by DG Home and REA in Brussels in June 2023 where we have received guidance on the various communications, dissemination and exploitations tools available to us, as well as met our sister projects under the call of this grant. We have since been involved with discussions with our sister projects, and continued cooperation have been agreed. 3.DIRECTED Story-board creation for partner communications and dissemination guidance The DIRECTED Project has continued to plan strategic communications to work towards succeeding in the Projects objectives. The DIRECTED story board has been integrated into 2023/ 2024 communication and dissemination planning and will be updated and used beyond this period. The storyboard enables a focused approach to gaining influence to enable the Project and its partners to succeed in their goals, and increase communications, dissemination and broader innovation of the tools, governance recommendations and Data Fabric, rather than relying in broad brush communications Communication and Dissemination Report 1 36 Figure 5: Story-board for content development. Communications and dissemination actions required • Clearly communicate and engage stakeholders in the main objectives of the DIRECTED Project • Discuss the changes that need to occur for societal change in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation • Communicate & disseminate the activities required for change to happen • Communicate & disseminate the potential impacts of change as well as the impacts of not changing/ adapting Communication and Dissemination Report 1 37 Figure 6: Story-board for audience targeting. Communications and dissemination actions required • Focus communications on the stakeholder groups that can effect change • Communicate and disseminate to upstream influencers of stakeholders that can effect change • Ensure that communications and dissemination are conducted in styles that are familiar to the relevant stakeholders e.g. academic papers – for climate change scientists, informing MP’s, MEP’s through direct letters about the project, press releases for media bodies • Don’t assume broad communications will reach them Communication and Dissemination Report 1 38 Figure 7: Story-board for story development. Communications and dissemination actions required • Use the story structure in the DIRECTED Storyboard to create stories for your posts and communications • Ensure that you involve the key characters in your stories, what did they experience, what did they say, use one or two quotes per communication • Consider what evidence, results, reports and images you should use in DIRECTED posts – evidence-based posts are more powerful • Including a sense of urgency in your communications, draws in readers, acts as a call to action Communication and Dissemination Report 1 39 Figure 8: Story-board for story-telling development. Communications and dissemination actions required • Use relevant communications and dissemination tools to reach the right audiences. • Record responses to communications and dissemination actions e.g. social media analytics, numbers and organisations at meetings, request for meetings, obtain analytics on publications where possible or readership numbers, post meeting questionnaires. • Use your recording to understand how well we are doing with communications and dissemination and think about how it could be improved next time. • Record any impacts of your communications and dissemination. Communication and Dissemination Report 1 40 4. Year 1 – Dissemination & Communication Plan – Partner Reports The following dissemination and communication plans are guided by the reporting structure of Horizon Europe. “Communication on projects is a strategically planned process that starts at the outset of the action and continues throughout its entire lifetime, aimed at promoting the action and its results. It requires strategic and targeted measures for communicating about (i) the action and (ii) its results to a multitude of audiences, including the media and the public and possibly engaging in a two-way exchange.” “List the communication activities carried out in the context of the project. Use the same labels used in your DEC plan.” The tables below directly correlate to the recording structure of Horizon Europe and are the planned work of the beneficiaries. We will undergo further yearly communications and dissemination reviews to develop and improve the communications and dissemination we are undertaking. The review and planning phases are timetabled as follows; • September 2023 • September 2024 • September 2025 • September 2026