We need to unceremoniously cremate the current public sector resident-facing preparedness communication strategy.
It is designed to create professional victims.
Whether you’re cemented firmly in the upper class, the working poor or you’re not sure where you fall, we know that in times of crisis you turn to those you trust. We also know that trust is earned, not anointed, meaning that if someone or some agency wishes to earn your trust, it is a process. A crested polo with an authoritative title doesn't equate to trust, especially with today's marginal institutional trust.
We live in communities, we’re a tribal species. Leveraging the very core of our human existence seems a no-brainer, but is ridiculously elusive. We’re not a random gathering of individuals in low to high density neighbourhoods, there is a huge and untapped sense of community and belonging around us. You only need to go the city park on the weekend, you see the gatherings of communities, dozens of families together. Those are the groups that will emerge from calamities with better post event outcomes, whether or not the government does anything.
We need to speak truth to the limitations of government capability and expectation, we need to create trust with the served population and we need to communicate.
I’ve written about the need to establish community response councils (CRC) in the past, the place where the needs of the population, the government plans and the entire community - business, not for profit, residents and the government meet to coordinate their responses. https://lnkd.in/eRYcxEzH
The punch line is simple, preparedness needs are those that fill the gaps not covered by CRC discussions. When we communicate and coordinate - collaborate if possible with all community constituents, we clearly identify those areas that are outside the collective response, creating the foundation for a preparedness need. These needs are then expressed in the preparedness communications. Telling residents to be prepared to do what others cannot do for you, for a specific period of time, all devised from relationships built in the CRC. Grounded in evidence, specifically designed for their location and in coordination with their neighbours.
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Congrats! This is great to hear.