Disaster, Recovery & Community Practice

Capstone Scenario

Background:

You are the community worker based in a community centre, in a low socio economic neighbourhood in a regional city.   The Centre worker position is funded by the State Government as part of a local neighbourhood rejuvenation program.  The Community Centre building is owned and maintained by the local city Council.  The Community Centre is managed by a volunteer management committee.

You have worked in this community Centre for two (2) years, you have worked alongside community members and you have developed relationships and an understanding of the issues facing this community.  There has been growing racial tension between local residents in recent times. The region has seen an increase in migrant and refugee families resettling into the community.  In the weeks before the flood disaster an incident occurred that was tagged as a “riot” or “street clash” between two families, one an Aboriginal family the other a refugee family.  This became national news and tensions have been whipped up.  Community members attending the Community Centre have spoken about witnessing Aboriginal and refugee people being harassed on the bus, on the street, in shopping centres and at school.

A flood disaster event has impacted on this community and the Community Centre became the location for an emergency recovery centre.   The Centre provided emergency assistance to residents evacuated from their homes.

The emergency phase has now ended and residents have been able to return to their homes.  Homes have been cleaned up, damage assessment has occurred and people are attempting to piece their lives and livelihoods back together.

During this time of disaster and recovery work you, other practitioners and residents have heard expressed a number of critical issues effecting community members.  Three of these issues are outlined below.

Task:

Your role as a community worker is to work with community members (those most effected by the issue) to create a responsive plan that reflects a community development approach.

Activity:

• Choose one community issue for your focus for this activity.
• Student as the community worker is required to produce the following pieces of work or artefacts as evidence that you have thought through your response to the community issue.

1. A mind map of your approach to the issue. Use the planning tool to shape this map.
2. An agendaand process plan for what you will do if you bring people together.
3. How will you let people know what you are doing and why? Design – Flyers, posters, use of social media.

CHOOSE ONE ISSUE TO WORK ON

Issue 1#

After visiting flood effected community members, an issue heard a number of times concerns household having trouble filling in documents, forms, insurance claims and other material to gain assistance.  Some people struggled with literacy, English as their second language, or negotiating government assistance.

Further Information:

1. State Government Flood Recovery Fund has granted the Community Centre $2000. The grant is for the purpose of delivering flood recovery projects. The grant cannot be used to purchase whitegoods, be used for wages of existing workers or expended on refurbishing buildings.  All money is to be acquitted and a full report is required to be submitted at the end of the project including the number of local residents accessing this project.
2. Multicultural Development & Assistance Agency (MDAA) is a local service working with migrant and refugee communities. MDAA has offered the community centre free interpreter services and the services of three social workers from the services case management and resettlement team.
3. A local Sunnycorp Insurance representative has offered to attend any meetings or gatherings at the community centre and has offered to supply catering on the condition that Sunnycorp can display its corporate signage and display material.

Issue 2#

The community centre playgroup has resumed to meet on Tuesdays.  Over the last three weeks at morning tea break in the playgroup some parents and carers spoke about their own, a friend or a family members feelings of anxiousness, sadness and stress.  These feelings relate to a sense of loss and change since the flood event.  As a practitioner you are aware of the effects a traumatic incident can have on individuals, families and communities.  People stated that they feel they cannot deal with this issue alone and need help to support family and friends.

Further Information:

1. State Government Flood Recovery Fund has granted the Community Centre $2000. The grant is for the purpose of delivering flood recovery projects. The grant cannot be used to purchase whitegoods, be used for wages of existing workers or expended on refurbishing buildings.  All money is to be acquitted and a full report is required to be submitted at the end of the project including the number of local residents accessing this project.
2. A local community artist who is trained in art therapy has offered the community centre their services free of charge.
3. The Mental Health Team from the hospital has offered their services to work with individual residents. They are only able to offer these services to residents who complete a trauma questionnaire and assessment.

Issue 3#

This community has experienced flood events in the past.  Three residential streets in a low lying area close the river are always adversely effected in any flood event.  The residents in these households are unable to seek adequate insurance.   This area is predominately rental housing and rent is cheap.   Some residents are known to the community centre and some households seek assistance from the groups and services offered at the community centre.  As the community worker you are aware of these households struggle time and again to get back on their feet.    Some move on but some have no choice.  People want to stay in the area where they feel most connected and supported but cannot afford other forms of housing.

Further Information:

1. State Government Flood Recovery Fund has granted the Community Centre $2000. The grant is for the purpose of delivering flood recovery projects. The grant cannot be used to purchase whitegoods, be used for wages of existing workers or expended on refurbishing buildings.  All money is to be acquitted and a full report is required to be submitted at the end of the project including the number of local residents accessing this project.
2. A very wealthy well connected builder and owner of Blue Sky Construction has a team of tradespeople who can assist with renovating peoples’ homes at no cost. The team is ready to go and need to complete all work within 2 months.
3. Some residents have heard that the local council plans to rezone the street so that unit blocks can be built. This will mean that the current housing will be sold and demolished.