“Event” – Is used throughout this website to refer to anything that causes trauma either to an individual, a family, a community or an organisation.
“Recovery and healing is a coordinated process of supporting individuals and affected communities in the reconstruction and restoration of emotional, social and physical wellbeing, by developing appropriate strategies to create a healing environment which incorporates cultural considerations”.
Recovery and Healing Process
The process of recovery and healing begins with an initial response to an event, which can be followed by planning and allowing healing to happen.
For Aboriginal Peoples, trauma is often an ongoing event and even at the point when the immediate crisis has passed, individuals, families and communities may still be managing the effects of past traumas. Many Aboriginal Peoples continue to be affected by transgenerational trauma, which is passed through generations, and this may impact on how plans are developed and delivered within communities.
To optimise outcomes, short and long-term planning needs to be incorporated into recovery and healing plans and consideration given to the following principles when developing plans
1. Gain an understanding of the cultural context of the event
Events occur within a cultural context which includes specific, local cultural beliefs and values about a situation, the people involved and how it should be handled. Recovery from an event is best supported with an understanding of the cultural context in which the event occurred and may include:
- Understanding that the event will effect more people than those directly affected and may affect an entire community as well as people with strong connections with the community who may live outside the community;
- Acknowledge and build on existing strengths and capacity within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community where the event has occurred, and develop recovery plans and healing strategies based on this;
- Be culturally sensitive and recognise that each community may have different ways to manage the event and recovery;
- Recognise and respect differences and develop flexible plans after consultation with key individuals or community members; and
- Support those who may be more vulnerable, such as Elders, young people and those directly affected by the event.
2. Recognition of the complexities of cultural considerations
To enable the best possible recovery from an event, acknowledge the complex and dynamic nature of trauma and include cultural considerations regarding Aboriginal communities.
Cultural considerations
- Information regarding the event will be shared within the Aboriginal community quickly and may not always be factual and can change over time.
- Affected individuals and communities will have needs that must be addressed quickly to alleviate further trauma. This includes giving consideration to counselling, financial assistance and health issues which occurred as a result of the event.
- Conflicting knowledge, values and priorities among individuals, communities and organisations may create tension in the Aboriginal community where the event occurred. Clear and precise information needs to be shared within the community to reduce added trauma through conflict relating to the event.
- Events create stressful environments where grief or blame may affect those involved. This can create secondary trauma within the Aboriginal community concerned.
- Acknowledge that community recovery is often long and challenging and may require a long-term plan to achieve the best possible recovery and healing.
- Existing local knowledge and community values may challenge the beliefs of those outside the community and therefore, can create other forms for stress for the individual, community and organisations most affected by the event.
3. Develop community-led approaches delivered by Aboriginal Peoples
The best possible recovery is consultative, responsive and flexible, and should engage with and empower communities throughout a healing process.
Recovery and healing
- Assess and address the needs of the affected community.
- Enable those affected by the event to participate actively in their own recovery and healing.
- Recognise and accept that each Aboriginal community may choose different paths to recovery and healing.
- Consider the differences in values, culture and priorities for each individual Aboriginal community affected by the event.
- Allow individuals, communities and organisations to manage their own recovery process and healing plans.
- Understand existing community knowledge and develop strategies to encourage leadership and resilience during recovery and healing processes.
- Develop new partnerships and strengthen existing partnerships between communities and those involved in the recovery and healing processes.
4. Ensure coordination of recovery and healing plans are implemented by those who can effectively manage the task.
Due to the connections within and across Aboriginal communities, often those affected by the event may be the very people who would ordinarily deal or manage the recovery and healing following such an event. However, if the event affects them personally, then they may not be able to lead, develop and deliver the recovery and healing plan. Therefore, in the interim, include others who can assist in the planning and delivery until a time when those affected can resume their roles in the community.
Best possible recovery and healing requires a planned, coordinated and flexible approach. Recovery and healing may include the following:
- At the very start, to develop recovery and healing plans, consult with those directly affected.
- Be guided by those with experience and expertise, preferably skilled and trusted leaders whose example you can follow on being respectful and culturally-appropriate.
- Understand the roles, responsibilities and authority of other organisations and coordinate across agencies to ensure maximum support for all Peoples affected by the event.
- Developed recovery and healing plans which meet the needs of the Aboriginal community concerned.
- Be aware that community expectations may change during recovery and healing processes and ensure that plans are flexible, taking into account such changes.
5. Effective communication
Best possible recovery and healing is built on honest and effective communication with affected individuals, communities and organisations.
- Ensure that all communication is relevant, timely, clear, accurate, and credible. This can reduce the likelihood of any further trauma being experienced by individuals and communities through misinformation.
- Recognise that communication with an Aboriginal community should include input and feedback. Recovery and healing plans should include time frames which indicate the frequency of such communication.
6. Acknowledging and building capacity in Aboriginal Communities
Best possible recovery and healing processes recognise that culturally-appropriate supports can build on and maximise community, individual and organisational capacity to heal.
- Assess gaps between existing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal services and develop strategies to find solutions quickly if gaps exist.
- Support the development of individual self-care and resilience by providing details of appropriate support people and services as soon as possible after the event.
- Identify and engage community resources as soon as initial consultation with affected individuals is completed.
- Acknowledge that Aboriginal communities are small and that existing resources will be stretched because often, Aboriginal organisations will also be affected by the event, and additional resources may be required from outside the local area
- Develop plans which recognise that Aboriginal and appropriate non-Aboriginal resources can be provided by a range of stakeholders outside the local community.
Adapted from ACT Community Services, National Principle of Disaster Recovery,
“Recovery and healing will be different for each individual, community and organisation. There are many factors to consider when creating a recovery and healing plan.”