After a long wait, designing and planning behind the scenes, I am now finalising logistics and travel plans to visit four separate communities during the coming 4-6 months. I will spend most of March in the Lockyer Valley (Qld), most of April in Dunalley (Tas), and then parts of May and June in Coonabarabran (NSW) and (hopefully) most of July in Far North Queensland.
I am really looking forward to meeting community leaders and members and gathering their perspectives – listening to their stories of what they did and what they observed happening – before, during and after their specific disaster experience. I hope to find out what actions have contributed most to the recovery of their communities, from their perspective.
I hope that all of my work to date ‘pays off’ and that my interviews and surveys provide a useful way for people to share what they know about what has worked. This is the point of my research to date. I am on the cusp of collecting the information I need….. to give communities their voice. Wish me luck!