Report aids planning for community recovery after disasters

The Canterbury Medical Research Foundation has produced a research report into how communities adapt after a disaster. The report is written from the perspective of those communities and will assist other communities around the world with recovery planning.

The report is based on case studies on six affected Canterbury communities. The communities featured were Lyttelton, Shirley, Inner City East, marae communities, migrant and refugee communities and Christchurch Community House (a workplace community).

This report was authored by Louise Thornley, Jude Ball, Louise Signal, Keri Lawson-Te Aho, and Emma Rawson.

The report’s authors say that community participation is vital in disaster planning, response, and recovery. Around the globe, disaster experts agree on the need to increase the resilience of communities. But limited research exists into what increases a community’s ability to adapt after a disaster, especially from the perspective of post-disaster communities themselves. The report will assist in preparing for future adverse events.