Recovery, Renewal, Resilience

This briefing explores opportunities for community recovery and resilience through commemoration. Contributed by colleagues at the University of North Texas USA, this article discusses the unique challenges of considering where, when, and how to commemorate the pandemic, and details various modes of meaningful commemoration for local communities such as public art, collective performances, and intergenerational resilience stories. 

Follow the source link below to read the article in full.

Many local governments have begun to take the lessons learn lessons from their COVID-19 response and amend strategies to improve emergency response plans for the future. E, ensuring these plans are disability inclusive is critical. Persons with disabilities can often be more vulnerable to risk during normal times and even more so in the height of a crisis. A recent paper explored the social determinants of disabled people’s vulnerability to COVID-19 and the impact of policy response strategies. The paper identifies recovery and renewal strategies that focus on reducing the social, economic, and environmental conditions that create disproportionate and unequal impacts. When re-evaluating local disaster preparedness and response, consider:

• Seek feedback from local people in your local community who live with a disability, and their carers, to understand how local response to COVID-19 met their needs or how their needs might be met more effectively in the future e.g. communications, access to services, community support mechanisms etc.
• Include strategies that recognise social vulnerability, as well as health related vulnerabilities, for example ‘universal basic income’ approaches to social security or ’housing first’ approaches to tackling homelessness
• Identify the various forms of risk that persons with disabilities might be exposed to, taking geographical and locale-specific risks into consideration. Needs will differ in the case of a flood/fire and evacuation than when faced with a health crisis
• Integrate the diverse and intersecting needs of persons with disabilities into preparedness and response plans. Co-produce these plans with them and their carers
• Identify the barriers that people with disabilities face in the community – work to reduce these barriers through long-term renewal initiatives, and not just in the case of emergency (e.g. re-designing local infrastructure to increase accessibility)
• Incorporate training for volunteers on the rights and diverse needs of people living with disabilities to maintain their dignity, safeguard against discrimination, and prevent inequalities in care provision (see UK guidance on supporting people with disabilities)

See: ‘Disability and Health Emergency Preparedness’ for guidance on identifying needs, tools and resources, and guidance for assessing preparedness and response programmes. See also: TMB Issue 19 for a further case study on disability-inclusive recovery and renewal.

TMB Issue 38 discussed the importance of community involvement in tackling disease outbreaks and presented the recommendations set out by the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. This briefing offers examples of good practice in community participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consider:

• Tanzania: local government co-produced infection control measures with business leaders based in markets to integrate leaders’ understanding & knowledge of the challenges of implementing such measures
• Nigeria: the “community informer model” was employed by local authorities for COVID “surveillance, tracing and monitoring” – community informers are key trusted individuals in a community (e.g. faith leaders)
• Pakistan: community volunteers “set up quarantine wards, manufactured and provided free protective suits for medics”, and distributed food to vulnerable people
• India: Community volunteers came together to investigate and identify unknown (“hidden”) COVID-19 fatalities. The volunteer group comprised of expert physicians and data analysts who developed comparisons of official health data and other reports. This encouraged a review of the national death audit process and resulted in improvements in the process so that COVID-19 deaths were accurate and transparent
• USA: Volunteers built a public “Testing Site Locator” app which visualized the geographical location of testing centres to support collection of testing centre-related information and dissemination at the national level. This supported people to locate the nearest available testing centres and also the “health system to plan and distribute centres more effectively”

The pandemic, and previous disasters, have evidenced that communities play a crucial role when preparing for, responding to and recovering from, crisis. Communities and civil societies should be “partners early on in the design, planning, implementation, and assessment of preparedness and response efforts on all levels”, particularly at the local level. We have covered community participation and co-production with communities in various briefings, see TMB Issue 38; Issue 34; Issue 33.

COVID-19 has impacted every level of an organisation. Engaging with people within your organisation and those closely associated with it, to show appreciation of people's work and resilience helps to boost morale. Consider how to show your appreciation through:

• Public appreciation posts in the form of newsletters, blogs or videos to thank staff and stakeholders, such as this tribute to The University of Manchester community
• Tangible rewards- these don't need to be financial (e.g. a bonus) but may be in the form of extra time holidays, and could be recognised as mental health days to give employees a much-needed break while they juggle responsibilities

Mobile home residents face a number of health and environmental challenges that have been exacerbated during the pandemic. Residents face compounding health issues as mobile homes are difficult to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Heating and ventilation costs can also create financial burdens which can have negative health impacts - especially as many people living in mobile homes have lower incomes and face job insecurity. This demographic also face increased risk due to site locations and occupancy agreements. In the UK, many mobile home sites are at risk of flooding and storm damage due to their proximity to water. To combat this, residents are normally asked to leave for 6 weeks of the year- during storm season. During COVID-19 this creates a number of issues as movement of people during these 6 weeks is a huge infection risk. The UK government has therefore requested that sites remain open for those using mobile homes as their primary residence. Consider:

• Emergency planning for extreme weather events/ COVID-19, including COVID-safe evacuation plans
• Increased community liaison and communication to share evacuation plans clearly to residents so they are able to prepare and act quickly and safely
• Identify local COVID-secure emergency accommodation in case evacuation of residents is needed
• Increase community liaison during periods of extreme heat to ensure residents are able to stay safe, especially during periods of lockdown, shielding or quarantine
• Provide clear information to residents in multiple languages and have multi-lingual community health visitors to ensure health and wellbeing information is translated

Children have been particularly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, so continuing to provide child-friendly events is an important way to safeguard their well-being. Consider how and what advice to provide to the public to make celebrations such as Halloween and Bonfire Night COVID-19 safe. Consider widely publicising the safety concerns of some activities such as trick or treating and firework parties, and provide ideas for low risk alternatives. Consider suggesting:

Halloween

• Virtual trick or treat parties or costume parties
• Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household and displaying them
• Having a scavenger trick-or-treat hunt with your household members in or around your home
• Look for community events focused on safe ways to have fun e.g. children can colour in Halloween posters and display them in a window at home so, on Halloween children can get dressed up and look for posters in their local area and get a treat from their guardian for each poster spotted - ensuring social distancing and 'the rule of six'

Bonfire night

• Instead of putting on fireworks displays, consider lighting up local landmarks at certain times. In Dudley, UK the council intends to honour NHS workers by also lighting up hospitals. The display is also accompanied by music played on local radio stations
• Consider secret firework displays which are planned at undisclosed locations to avoid crowds gathering - providing locations to ensure full area coverage
• Livestream displays on social media
• Heighten awareness of firework safety as COVID-19 restrictions may result in more firework displays at homes. Promote following the firework code and relevant COVID-19 restrictions

Consider how to develop a space to remember and honour people who have died in your city and their stories, by developing an online memorial site with photographs, and some words from family and friends. Consider how to gather accurate information on identified deaths from COVID-19:

• Confirm the death with a third party, such as a news organization or city agency - directly tie the cause to COVID-19
• Take contributions from victims' families and confirmation by an immediate family member or next of kin
• Check victim details, such as last known address and age e.g. through voter registration data
• Partner with institutions that can help provide up-to-date lists of the deceased
• Use reports from news organizations, paid obituaries from online sources (e.g. Legacy.com) and local news publications
• Check verified posts from victims' families on social-media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook
• Check announcements from victims' private and public-sector employers and unions
• Check official releases from city and state agencies, e.g. Police Department

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, especially in trying to adjust to new routines and living and working environments. This may be particularly true for children with autism and their parents, as children with autism have trouble adjusting to, coping with, and understanding change. To help with this, help parents to explain the current situation in clear and simple ways and can help children with autism to adjust to the 'new normal'. One way of doing this is to provide parents with access to materials that frame COVID-19 as a germ that can make people sick, so it is important to stay away from others and not touch things.

Advise parents to reiterate important rules to children with autism is also important to help them cope, such as:

• Washing hands well and often (for at least 20 seconds)
• Not touching their nose, mouth, and eyes
• Keeping at least 6 feet away from other people
• Wearing a cloth face covering or face mask in public places

Face coverings may be difficult for autistic children, some parents have had successes in attaching the ear loops on masks to their child's favourite hat with buttons to reduce sensitivity. Make authorities (such as transport providers, Police) aware of "Facemask Exemption Cards" that have been produced by organisations for parents to print out for those who cannot wear a mask. Local government can support parents of children with autism by working with respected specialist organisations to advise parents e.g. one encouraging mask wearing

• Demonstrate using the face mask on a preferred object or person, such as a stuffed animal, a doll, or a family member
• Allow the person to choose among different types of fabric face masks to find one that is most comfortable
• Start by practicing wearing the face mask for short durations of time, allowing for breaks when needed
• Plan initial outings in low-demand environments that are quiet and calm, so that the individual can experience success wearing the face mask
• Use a printed photo or digital photo of the individual wearing a face mask as a visual cue to wear the mask before outings

In addition to these changes, losing the daily routine that going school provides adds an additional layer of complexity for children with autism, and outs them at risk of not receiving the social care and support they require. While, some children may have found home schooling difficult, the time spent away from school may have resulted in the development of a new routine at home where they feel safe. As such, returning to school may cause anxiety and distress. Local government should inform teachers that some ways of reducing these anxieties include:

• Providing a visit to the school before it reopens if possible, to help children familiarise themselves with their environment and staff again
• Encouraging homes to introduce changes that are made in school at home e.g. explain social distancing measures, ask for photos of new classroom layouts to show children
• Asking parents for information about your child during COVID-19 so they have an understanding of their needs and how these may have changed due to COVID-19 restrictions

COVID-19 has also been a challenging time for parents of children with autism. One parent in the UK stated that support for them and their child had been reduced to occasional phone calls and they felt like they had been "left to struggle alone". They also stated that they were repeating the same or similar activities with their child from before lockdown and that it felt like their child's development had stalled. They stated that increased resources from their child's support worker such as a timetable of activities and development would have helped and made the experience of self-isolation and lockdown "less distressing".

Providing specialised phone lines and centralised hubs with resources for parents is vital, to ensure their well-being and that of their children, via reliable information and support. Local government can help employers to realise that parents also need to find ways to balance work and childcare responsibilities this can include:

• Arrange to work from home to ensure supervision, or childcare sharing arrangements with friends and family
• Prepare information about the child's support needs and successful learning and behaviour strategies for anyone caring for the child
• Develop an emergency contact list, and discuss it with friends and family. Include names and numbers of your personal autism support network, as well as medical providers
• Contact local organizations who may be able to offer support.
• Look through the child's medical records or evaluations related to autism as these may have recommendations on areas to focus on and can help you with making learning plans while schools are closed
• Reach out to others to maintain social support for the whole family e.g. social media, social media groups for autistic people and their families, and other virtual support groups that provide online resources for finding empathy and ideas while self-isolating or in lockdown

To read this case study in its original format (including references) follow the source link below to TMB Issue 16 (p.19-20).

The main housing insecure groups include:

1. Asylum seekers (with and without access to statutory support)
2. Private renters
3. Prisoners who have been released

To support these groups consider:

• Mapping housing supply and working in partnership with private businesses, landlords and public services to develop ethical lettings agencies
• Leasing properties off private landlords for a substantial period and letting through ethical lettings agencies
• Ask contractors for commitments to build affordable housing rather than contribute cash donations
• Removing caps on housing benefits
• Ensuring housing allowances for renters meets the rent profile of the area they are renting in
• Mapping facilities e.g. recreation centres that can be turned into emergency shelters for homeless people
• Mapping risks of shared accommodation and capacity during heat waves/winter and risk of infection
• Providing prepaid cards for use for essential shopping e.g. food, medication

References: Chief Resilience Officer, USA and a representative of a UK Local Authority

Consider:

• Training webinars to develop volunteer managers to develop capacity of 'professionalised' volunteers
• Developing specific training courses that include guidance documents and a set number of hours for course completion
• Developing a virtual library of resources to support other voluntary organisations, consider how these will be managed and vetted
• Build resources that complement existing government guidance

This lesson was contributed by a Volunteer coordinator of State in the USA during project data collecion.

In the USA, The Emergency Services research team at NBC Universal developed a Disaster Response Team "Train-At-Home" game. The game is based on Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, though you don't need to be CERT-trained to play. The game is designed to be fun, and for everyone. The game board and cards can be downloaded and printed at home. The aim is to provide tips and reminders to people about disaster response. The cards also hold references to sites where more information can be found.

Disaster management games for younger audiences can also be found here:

https://www.ready.gov/kids/games/data/dm-english/index.html

This lesson was contributed by a Disaster Program Specialist in the USA during project data collection.

In California, the "Stay Home. Save Lives. Check In." initiative has been developed in partnership with the California Department of Aging, and three founding partners from the public, private and academic sectors. The project aims to counter strict social distancing with social bridging (one-on-one communication with older adults through check-in phone calls). The project will:

• Train and mobilise >1000 people to telephone call older Californians to check on their well-being, direct them to resources, and connect them on a personal level
• Prioritise reaching the most isolated older adults those living in pandemic hot spots, and those likely to be facing food insecurity via "Social Bridgers"
• Train callers to assess basic needs and make referrals. Callers will use a tested call script to ensure consistency and reliability and will empathise with each individual's experience of this pandemic
• Use Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), trained volunteers affiliated with local public safety agencies
• Utilise United Airlines employees in San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles as they have a robust employee donation and volunteer system for disasters
• Use Sacramento State University gerontology students
• Expand partnerships in the coming weeks. Members of the public are not being solicited as callers at this time

These groups should represent the community's views on what recovery should involve. These groups should feed views and concerns into the government's Recovery Group. It is important to consider participant fatigue when collecting community data about recovery needs.

Reference: Chief Resilience Officer, USA

Including those without safe accommodation e.g. homeless, victims of domestic abuse. Consider the sustainability of these measures into longer-term recovery.

Reference: Chief Resilience Officers, USA and Italy

For example, instead of doing the usual Easter egg hunt - encourage people to do something more community centric like creating bags for children in need.

Reference: Chief Resilience Officer, USA

Local government should capitalise on new volunteer-to-volunteer relationships, to help provide multi-sectoral delivery of services and to build connections with vulnerable groups that they may have previously struggled to engagement with. For example, foodbanks could partner with organisations to combat wider issues of discrimination.

Reference: Team Rubicon, USA

Local government should capitalise on the digital revolution in volunteering by developing apps, utilising online campaigns, digital marketing and webinars for training sessions. This can help to support recovery and ongoing resilience activities as the public become more connected and engaged with local government and their communities.

Reference: American Red Cross, USA

Local government should provide early implementation of psychosocial support to build mental health provisions that can meet demands later on in recovery. Psychosocial support can be delivered on a self-selection basis, volunteers can be used to process this information.

Reference: State Volunteer Coordinator, USA

Local governments should test volunteers to see if they are infected with COVID-19, and the potential for track and trace, to the risk of resurgence or infection, especially in the vulnerable populations they support. Collecting this information can help to model the transmission of the virus.

Reference: American Red Cross , USA

Local government should capitalise on new volunteer-to-volunteer relationships, to help provide multi-sectoral delivery of services and to build connections with vulnerable groups that they may have previously struggled to engagement with. For example, foodbanks could partner with organisations to combat wider issues of discrimination.

Reference: State Volunteer Coordinator, USA