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Community Resilience Districts: Difference between revisions
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Concept development began in early 2018 in response to the following ideas and concerns voiced by NET volunteers in surveys: | Concept development began in early 2018 in response to the following ideas and concerns voiced by NET volunteers in surveys: | ||
#'''NET volunteers should organize at the block level rather than the neighborhood association level.''' Many NETs believe neighborhood associations are too large to effectively plan for an earthquake response, and it's more practical to focus on the hyperlocal level (block scale) where the response will likely take place. | |||
#'''Team meetings have low attendance,''' and there could be various reasons for this. However, regardless of the reason, Team Leaders get frustrated and burnt out when they don't regularly hear from their Team Members and Affiliated Team Volunteers (ATVs). | |||
#'''NETs need the support and involvement of the entire local community, not just a few neighbors who are interested in preparing for a disaster.''' NETs can act as advocates for disaster preparedness and response at the local level, but they will require assistance from less-engaged neighbors to respond effectively after an earthquake. | |||
#'''Many NET Team Leaders prefer to focus on operational planning rather than administrative tasks.''' Some become leaders to plan for the response in their immediate area and may not necessarily want to manage rosters, conduct meetings, recruit others, or raise funds. | |||
Jeremy Van Keuren (PBEM Community Resilience Manager) presented the first CRD concept paper to NET volunteers on November 8, 2018. NETs responded optimistically to the presentation and directed PBEM to develop the concept further by piloting it in several neighborhoods. A pilot had already started in late spring that year in the St. Johns neighborhood, where it continues today. Jeremy also set about meeting with Downtown NET volunteers to develop a CRD charter, but the effort ultimately failed under stress from the COVID pandemic in 2020. Response to COVID, in fact, effectively shelved implementation of the CRD concept. A meeting of NET Team Leaders and PBEM during the 2022 NETCamp affirmed that the CRD concept is still something NETs and PBEM should explore pursuing. | Jeremy Van Keuren (PBEM Community Resilience Manager) presented the first CRD concept paper to NET volunteers on November 8, 2018. NETs responded optimistically to the presentation and directed PBEM to develop the concept further by piloting it in several neighborhoods. A pilot had already started in late spring that year in the St. Johns neighborhood, where it continues today. Jeremy also set about meeting with Downtown NET volunteers to develop a CRD charter, but the effort ultimately failed under stress from the COVID pandemic in 2020. Response to COVID, in fact, effectively shelved implementation of the CRD concept. A meeting of NET Team Leaders and PBEM during the 2022 NETCamp affirmed that the CRD concept is still something NETs and PBEM should explore pursuing. | ||
As of 2023, St. Johns/Cathedral Park is the only NET that has piloted the CRD concept. | |||
== CRD Model Precepts == | == CRD Model Precepts == | ||
PBEM shaped the Community Resilience District model with the following guiding principles in mind: | |||
# '''Many hands make light work.''' Don't expect one volunteer or a small group to handle all the tasks. Workloads should be manageable, considering that people are busy and have lives. | |||
# '''Defy the Pareto Principle.''' The [[wikipedia:Pareto_principle|Pareto Principle]] states that 20% of people do 80% of the work. In the case of NET, this principle tends to hold true if not addressed. However, it harms the resilience of volunteer teamwork as it puts too much burden on a few individuals, leading to burnout or an autocratic leadership style. Leaders should invest in their fellow volunteers' capacity and delegate appropriately. In other words, spread the effort around instead of depending on a few willing hard workers. | |||
# '''Align volunteer responsibilities with personal interests.''' Everyone has a role in disaster preparedness and response. Make use of the diverse skills and interests of volunteers to create a more effective response team. For instance, a registered nurse could be valuable in a medical response unit, and someone who enjoys cooking could contribute to a kitchen unit. Non-NETs (ATVs) can and should participate in community resilience. | |||
# '''Keep response plans up to date.''' A response plan is a dynamic document. Even if a charter or operations plan is written, it should be regularly reviewed and updated as resources change. | |||
# '''Build strong foundations.''' It's tempting to tackle all problems at once, but this leads to burnout and incomplete solutions. Instead, prioritize and focus on resolving issues decisively. Then, move on to the next priority, giving it the same attention. Be realistic about what can be accomplished based on available resources. | |||
