Community Collaboration
This article discusses Community Resilience, the importance of pooling existing resources and community collaboration, including stories from:
The Christchurch Earthquakes
Following the devastating earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand – the city is still being rebuilt.
The example of Community Collaboration I wanted to highlight was the clean-up of liquefaction following the earthquakes. This sludgy substance came up out of the ground and covered peoples properties. To help deal with the problem a “Student Army” was formed from the University of Canterbury. They shoveled up piles of liquefaction including at my grandmother’s house, an elderly lady living alone with the majority of her relatives living overseas. This was a great help to our family and a good example of Community Collaboration.
Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Another example occurred during Hurricane Maria where a Rum factory had stockpiled water to continue producing their Rum. However, the local communities did not have clean drinking water. Due to their natural compassion and inclination to avoid a PR Disaster they gave the water to the community and stopped production of their product.
This illustrates that a business cannot carry on in isolation from the community.
Hurricane Harvey in Texas
Following Hurricane Harvey, Texans took to their boats and rescued fellow residents who were stranded by rising floodwaters in a great example of Community Collaboration.
Hurricane Mukono in Oman
Most Omani people were a great help and support for people who were effected by Hurricane Mukono. Teams involved in the crisis area were working 24 hours for three days until the crisis had stabilized.
Community Resilience
It is important to recognize that resilience doesn’t stand in isolation. Businesses operate in an Eco-system with other businesses. Strengthening community resilience requires pooling and utilizing existing resources and capacities and using these to the full. Community Collaboration is a prerequisite for the effective use of resources.
This means you should speak to your neighbors, if you’re working in a shared building or business park it is important that you speak to each other. Include their contact details in your Communication Plan so you can join forces following a disruption and help each other.
Consider approaching a larger business for mentoring and discuss their Business Continuity Management Strategy.
If you want to increase your Organizational Resilience, start with preparing a Business Continuity Plan and check out BCP Builder’s Business Continuity Planning Templates.
