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Monday, 4 March 2024

2nd National Conference on Societal Resilience

This in-person conference will provide a vital networking forum bringing together partners from policy and practice from across UK+, to share insights, learn together with likeminded colleagues, and identify collaborative opportunities on how to enhance societal resilience.

Event Time
4 Mar 12:00 - 5 Mar 16:00
Event Location
The University of Manchester
Event Type

We are delighted to announce that the second National Conference on Societal Resilience will take place over two days on March 4 and 5 2024 at the Whitworth Hall, The University of Manchester.

This event is now fully booked. If you would like to join the waitlist please email ncsr@manchester.ac.uk

This conference is organised by the National Consortium for Societal Resilience [UK+] (NCSR+).

Conference programme

The full conference programme is now available, which includes compelling voices and leading policymakers, practitioners, and resilience experts from multiple sectors as our keynote speakers, panellists, and session chairs. 

See the full programme >>

This in-person conference will again provide a vital networking forum bringing together partners from policy and practice from across UK+ (including from the public, voluntary and community, and business sectors), to share insights, learn together with likeminded colleagues, and identify collaborative opportunities on how to enhance societal resilience.

Our collective efforts are already making a difference through the work of the NCSR+. But much more can be done to harness momentum and galvanise further collaboration and action on the unique approach to societal resilience that the consortium is co-developing with our partners.

Join us to continue the national conversation on societal resilience and jointly address the following conference topics, and more:

  • leadership for resilience to support the most vulnerable in society
  • innovative contributions from the VCSE and business sectors to enhancing societal resilience
  • case study successes from across the UK+ and how challenges have been overcome
  • emerging lessons from implementing the NCSR+ strategy on societal resilience and wider resilience initiatives (e.g. Stronger LRF programme)
  • strategise the future and the next steps for locally shaping societal resilience

Who should attend?

The conference is aimed at all those who have an interest in strategising and working collaboratively to enhance societal resilience.

The conference will focus on the contributions of:

  • government, including local resilience partnerships across the UK (Local Resilience Forums, Regional/Local Resilience Partnerships, Emergency Preparedness Groups)
  • voluntary and community, including local groups, faith-based organisations, national charities, and social enterprises
  • business, including utilities, corporate programmes, and resilience advisors working in communities

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

emergency planning society logo

Emergency Planning Society CPD hours and points are available for attendance at the conference as follows:

  • Full Day Conference 6 CPD hours
  • Up to 3 CPD points

There will also be opportunities to achieve CPD from reflective logs and additional learning following the conference. To receive your CPD certificate, please email info@the-eps.org with a note of how many hours or points you are claiming. Once this has been verified a certificate will be emailed to you direct. 

Building on the success of 2023

The first National Conference in March 2023 was a great success with over 140 delegates from local resilience partnerships joining senior government figures across two days of networking, keynotes, panel discussions, and interactive workshops on societal resilience.

But don’t just take our word for it, watch the video from the conference:

Getting to Whitworth Hall and staying in Manchester

The conference venue is close to the city centre and easily accessible by bus, car or on foot.

Find out more about more about getting to Whitworth Hall and preferential rates on nearby hotels.

About the National Consortium for Societal Resilience [UK+]

The NCSR+ was established 'to enhance the UK[+] whole-of-society approach to resilience, so that individuals, groups, organisations, and networks can all play a meaningful part in building the resilience of our society'. The consortium is co-chaired by Alliance Manchester Business School, Suffolk Resilience Forum and Sussex Resilience Forum. Membership of the consortium includes almost all local authorities in the UK along with key resilience partners.

This event is now fully booked. If you would like to join the waitlist please email ncsr@manchester.ac.uk

Find out more about the work of the NCSR+.

In association with

Logos from the NCSR conference sponsors        

Conference organising committee

Conference Chair – Duncan Shaw, Alliance Manchester Business School

Alastair Hinze, Cheshire Resilience Forum
Alex Wood-Davis, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Resilience Forum
Andrew McClelland, Alliance Manchester Business School
Becky Heginbotham-Blount, Suffolk Resilience Forum
Carney Bonner, British Red Cross
Carolyn Otley, Cumbria CVS
Chris Scott, West Sussex County Council
Helen Richards, West Mercia Local Resilience Forum 
Jenny Maskell, Cheshire Resilience Forum
Mark Pape, Northamptonshire Resilience Forum
Róisín Jordan, Alliance Manchester Business School
Marcus Bowen, VCS Emergencies Partnership