Environment Hubs Aotearoa is conducting research alongside Massey University into community responses to last year’s Cyclone Gabrielle, and it's got to be said that the aims of this research are dear to our heart here at Gizzy Local!
What we witnessed here in the Tairāwhiti was an incredible rallying by our community in the aftermath of the cyclone. In many locations and aspects of the wider response, it was our Marae, our community organisations, and individuals who were able to act quickly and effectively and made a huge difference to affected peoples’ experiences.
Environment Hubs Aotearoa wants the importance of that mahi carried out by individuals and citizen-led community organisations to be recognised, and to understand both HOW and WHY they filled the gaps in the official response.
The results of their research will inform Central and Local Government, and Civil Defence on how to better support community responders, and how to build more resilient and empowered communities for the future events we know are coming.
Environment Hubs Aotearoa is a national network that supports community and environmental resilience. Many of their hubs acted as emergency response centres during the Auckland Anniversary Weekend Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle last year. They recognise that affected communities have already been inundated by researchers but know that their independence from government means they can take a critical look at the official response, and ensure the voice of the locally-led community sector is heard.
They will involve communities in co-designing the recommendations from the findings, and will use these findings in their ongoing advocacy work, pushing for positive change in our communities.
This research begins with a survey, and they want to hear from those impacted or who helped with response efforts. You can find the survey here, and if you have any other questions, these FAQs might be helpful.