Under Community Empowerment, San Francisco focus on advice given to Project Managers and Government of how to work with the community. Work with the community will build their empowerment process through knowledge of community nuances (see Section 4.3.4.4), involvement in all Project Phases (see Section 4.3.4.3), and giving the
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community status as “ownership of the project” – community is in the driver seat of the project (see Section 4.3.4.5). The community is responsible for the success and failures of the project. SF_C_4 indicates the "owner of the project" is the major stakeholder of the post-disaster recovery project. Their input and decision are very important. As a major stakeholder (a person controlling the direction of the project) will be paid attention by the Project Manager and government. Once the owner concept has been accepted by the Project Manager then community knowledge and expertise can be utilized to build the community on a long-term basis. The community members take responsibility for the maintenance and growth of the community in many years ahead.
To make community empowerment be successful in the disaster recovery project is
community representation (see Section 4.3.4.2). Interviewee SF_P_9 indicates that “Not
everyone can sit at the planning table.” Not all community members be involved in the decision-making but through their natural leaders who are recognized looking after the
community. The community leaders represent the community hence community is
involved in decision-making. The community leaders are recognized by the community. This ensures rapid decision-making and implementation for the benefits of the community.
Christ Church emphasis is an overall community collective engagement model is formed on the basis partnership between the community, government and project managers. Emphasis is government formal recognition of community engagement in all projects (see Section 4.4.3.2). Providing training in governance, community leadership (see Section 4.4.3.5) and project management (see Section 4.4.3.7.) to enable community leaders on community advisory boards and project control boards (see Section 4.4.3.1) to understand and effectively deliver sound products and services for a sustainable community on the long-term (see Section 4.4.3.6).
The result is the formation of a Citizen advisory group and involvement in Project Control Board. Collaboration and consultation are used as the building is being designed. As building is being built, the community is informed of the progress (see Section 4.4.2.3).
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Literature review has shown that the community are the first responders during the aftermath of a disaster. Numerous studies about single countries (Ainuddin, 2012; Bornstein, 2013; Chandrarsekhar, 2012; Crawford, 2013; Magnin, 2007; Olofsson, 2007; Twigg, 2009; World Bank, 2005, 2008) provide incredible insightful information on why the community is very important even when power and influence are low and why it is important to empower to disaster affected community. Rowlands (2013) indicates that empowering the community and maximizing the community’s participation at the local level will give the community control of the process and enable it to take charge of its rebuilding. This means tapping into the community’s resourcefulness; tapping local providers to supply materials and services (such as psychology and social work); and tapping workers to rebuild the community. Victoria State, Australia (2013) indicates the empowered community share responsibility in decision making and accountability. Legislative and policy frameworks within the state/country establish the level of power communities can decide: some were limited and some wide ranging within a defined time period. In the case of collaboration, there is delegated decision-making, but the government retains the overall decision-making power. The different types of participation is effective in different contexts; empower may not be suitable for all situations. Slotterback (2013) noted that effective management of power differences between stakeholders and community can help the community trust the process; some powerful stakeholders might be reluctant in the process if they feel their power is diminished.
The community will act immediately in an effective and efficient manner when trained and recognized (ADAP, 2004). Their performance goes beyond traditional disaster management practices of preparedness and response to mitigation and recovery (San Francisco, 2016) when masterly dealing with stressors (disasters). Community empowerment has great benefits for Emergency Management, government agencies, private and non-profit sector organizations when their budgets are impacted by economic
constraints (FEMA, 2011).The interviewees from San Francisco re-confirm and indicates
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Successful disaster recovery and community stability require a process that achieves acceptance and a sense of involvement, from the stakeholders (Crawford et al., 2013). The success of a recovery project should also be measured in terms of that acceptance; a programme that is not perceived as legitimate has not succeeded in achieving of community acceptance.
Within Christ Church, community organizations (such as Rubble, Gap Filler and Agropolis) demonstrated effective community-led recovery projects that were internationally recognized. Many community residents felt their successes had brought joy to their lives and restored hope for the future of the city. In light of how the community felt deliberately left out of consultation and engagement by the government (Cretney, 2016). Community-based responses to the earthquakes included informal, spontaneous support and organised responses led by community and iwi (tribal) organisations. Most organised responses were initiated by existing community groups or leaders, but some new initiatives emerged, such as the creative arts project Gap Filler and the youth-led Student Volunteer Army.
Young people continued to be engaged in a range of creative post-earthquake initiatives. These included: Greening the Rubble (bringing colour and greenery to the vast tracts of demolished building sites and piles of rubble); Gap Filler (producing interesting and creative art works and activities that brought life to vacant spaces); and the Pallet Pavilion (a café and performance space created from re-cycled wooden pallets) (Mutch, 2013).
The literature review based on lessons learned shows the importance of empowerment through the workings of the Project Manager – CERA literature. Interviewees looked at Project Managers working with leaders, applying organizational change management, collaboration, and providing training in Project Management, Leadership and Governance. The training enabled the community leaders to be on Advisory Board and Project Control Board of the Disaster Recovery Projects.
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The result is a community deciding its destiny. To achieve this end the following areas explain the tools and techniques that are used in Christ Church: citizen advisory board, formal recognition, honour our members, involvement in Project Phases, Leadership Training, Meeting Community Needs, and Training in Project Management.