An interactive board game designed for Indigo Shire residents to connect and help prepare communities to be more resilient for climate change is being launched next week by Indigo Regen at the Beechworth Town Hall.

The Adaptation Game (TAG) aims to help people better understand extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods, and fires.

People have been invited to take part in playing the innovative and collaborative game on 21 June held on the day to celebrate World Localisation Day.

Indigo Regen’s Lesley Milne said the game raises climate change awareness through research-based information in a safe space for people to think how they may respond and adapt with practical actions.

Ms Milne said the game has been developed as a safe and interactive way for community members to think about climate shocks.

“We know that when people have thought about and taken some actions, they are better prepared to face the shock, and they also recover more quickly,” she said.

“Research has shown that that our resilience, capacity to recover and bounce back is improved when we are prepared.”

The game has been developed by Amble Studios in Melbourne with Indigo Regen, funding from the Ned Foundation, Major Projects Management and an Indigo Shire Council sustainability grant.

Ms Milne said the game had been commissioned to be localised to Indigo Shire with maps relevant to Beechworth, Wooragee, Yackandandah, Stanley, Rutherglen, Chiltern, Tangambalanga, and Kiewa.

Ms Milne said the game each with four players may include community members such as neighbours, or members from the health service, CFA or SES members as an example.

Indigo Regen members undertook community consultations via video and face-to-face training with Amble Studios’ staff to build realistic scenarios of possible shocks.

Ms Milne said the idea of World Localization Day is about strengthening connection within local communities as well as food networks and circular economies working in smaller units with the goal not to be dependent on a big global economy.

“Local food systems, strong communities and resilient economies bring people together to celebrate local solutions and strengthen communities,” she said.

The game will be available for community members across the shire to book following the launch.

“It will remain a community resource for across the shire,” Ms Milne said.

“Our strategic planning involved major townships across the shire and will remain a community resource.”

Besides exploring practical ways adapt and contribute to community resilience, people will also gain an understanding of projects and programs already being implemented by local groups and Indigo Shire.

Doors open for the free community event hosted by Indigo Regen in partnership with the NED Foundation and Indigo Shire at 1.30pm.

Visit https://events.humanitix.com/indigoregen-launch-of-the-adaptation-game to register.