Research that helps to strengthen recovery after disasters is making an impact across the ditch, recognised at the annual Emergency Media and Public Affairs conference in New Zealand.
The Recovery capitals guide, Aotearoa New Zealand version, produced by Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC research, was highly commended in the recovery category at the awards dinner, held in Wellington on 17 October. The Massey University research team of Prof David Johnson, Emily Campbell and A/Prof Denise Blake were on hand to accept the award from New Zealand Minister for Emergency Management the Hon Kieran McAnulty. Also part of the project were Prof Lisa Gibbs, Phoebe Quinn, Alana Pirrone from the University of Melbourne, alongside John Richardson and Andrew Coghlan from the Australian Red Cross.
Producing practical guides to strengthen recovery for any type of emergency, large or small, the Recovery Capitals project was a cross-Tasman collaboration between the University of Melbourne, the Australian Red Cross, Massey University and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, alongside many key emergency management, government and recovery organisations across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The Recovery Capitals resources, which come in both Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand versions, support wellbeing after disasters with evidence-based resources for people and organisations engaged in recovery, with significant focus on the strengths of Indigenous communities during recovery. The resources are accessible, engaging and evidence-based, offering guidance on how to apply key recovery principles in practice. Find them all at recoverycapitals.org.au/
Earlier in 2022, the Recovery capitals guide won the recovery category at the Australian Emergency Media and Public Affairs conference.
Learn how the guide can be used in practice in this short documentary below, featuring the Surf Coast Council in Victoria.