Recovery Capitals (ReCap): navigating the complexities of disaster recovery - final project report

This is the final project report of the Recovery Capitals (ReCap) project. The project aimed to promote wellbeing after disasters by examining the disaster recovery evidence base and producing a set of resources to help guide recovery efforts. It was a collaboration between the University of Melbourne, Massey University (Aotearoa New Zealand), Australian Red Cross, and other researchers, government and non-government agencies and organisations from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The work that has been undertaken in the ReCap project allows for a more nuanced understanding of the interrelated and compounding impacts of disasters. This in turn both highlights the complexities communities face after disaster but also offers a practical way of exploring these impacts in different communities.

Some examples of the way that the ReCap research and resources have been applied to date within the Australian Red Cross include:

• Revised internal training for recovery workforce based on the recovery capitals.
• Revision of operational reporting to incorporate the recovery capitals as a framework for data collection.
• Informing on the ground operational needs assessments and is currently informing into the revision of Red Cross disaster needs assessment frameworks and operational processes.
• Informing new and revised Red Cross resources, including Red Cross guidance for pandemic recovery.