Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to identify stakeholders and to ensure all community groups are involved and engaged.
Why?
If your community does not adequately understand its recovery stakeholders, there exists a risk that some individuals or groups may not understand they have a role to play in long-term recovery and be left behind, or that recovery itself may benefit some groups over others. A lot of this work should have been started in the pre-disaster recovery planning process (Pages 29-38). An interdisciplinary reconstruction planning task force is the best way to guide the process of constructing the plan.
When?
After the Initial Damage Assessment, or as soon as it is determined that long-term community recovery efforts will be needed. (Days 1-30)
Tips
- Make every effort to build authentic human relationships with members of the target community.
- Visit local institutions.
- Establish relationships with trusted leaders of faith-based groups and community organizations.
- Make yourself aware of local customs so as not to inadvertently be disrespectful of the community’s practices and values.
- Recognize the importance of faith-based and other community organizations as legitimate support systems.
- To ensure the hearing of diverse voices, including individuals on the planning and action teams that can represent the diverse needs and interests of the target groups.
- Include recovery team members who are reflective of survivors’ ethnic, racial, and social backgrounds.
Strive to represent all voices. - Develop inclusive Outreach Methods - To reach those who do not own a computer or who do not have current access to internet services, it may be necessary, particularly when home and cell phone service is not available, to conduct door-to-door visits or to distribute flyers in places where people tend to congregate. Frequently, places where other services are available are good places to begin. Possible distribution points for written information may include faith-based organizations, hospitals, and medical offices, grocery stores, coffee shops, laundries, daycare centers, schools and colleges, voluntary agencies involved in community recovery, and other places people gather.
How does my community do this?
- Create a list of potential community stakeholders. Identify community stakeholders from the public, government, the business sector, non-profits, community-based organizations, vulnerable and marginalized populations.
- Determine interest and availability of identified community stakeholders. Having honest and open conversations with key community stakeholders ensures that their involvement meets their needs and expectations and effectively supports recovery efforts. Start by listening to their goals and interests and identify shared interests that can help guide their involvement in the post-disaster recovery process.
- Recruit community stakeholders to join in the recovery planning effort. Use the Recovery Support Functions (RSFs, See Step 3) to guide the selection and assignment of key roles and responsibilities. Ensure that community members and leaders are effectively working together towards the same goals and supporting the appropriate RSFs.
- Identify communication methods between community stakeholders and the recovery team. Communication is a two-way street. Ensure that organizations and community members involved in the process can share thoughts, input, and comments with those leading your community’s recovery efforts. Also, ensure that messages and information are flowing effectively back out to the community. The recovery planning process should provide meaningful opportunities for public input.
Community Call Out: Town of Lyons, CO
The Town of Lyons Recovery Action Plan was developed in the aftermath of a large flood event that occurred on September 12th, 2013 that inflicted major damage to the town resulting in the entire town being evacuated on September 14, 2013.