Her Magazine

Her Magazine December/January 2013

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:looking beyond disaster and Ngai Tahu as well as all the government departments who are contributing to the recovery process. We are also working with all the agencies delivering recovery programmes to ensure that they are working effectively together. What time, costs and resources has this work consumed? I moved to Christchurch to take up this position. It is most certainly not a nine to five job and is not for the faint-hearted. This is an all-consuming job and full of challenges. People and communities have been affected by an event over which they had no control. The pressure is on to make the recovery happen quickly so there is not much time for anything else right now. Michelle Mitchell GM Community Wellbeing, CERA On the day of the February earthquake, Michelle Mitchell���s son was in a Red bus going down Tuam Street. She will be forever grateful for the bus driver who moved the vehicle to the middle of the road thereby avoiding the falling buildings crashing on the bus. What have you personally done to aid the Christchurch rebuild? I have led the Social Recovery for Greater Christchurch since the 4 September earthquake. This has involved the leadership and coordination of Social Service agencies; Government, Non-Government and Community based. Key components of this work include the Psycho-social supports 16 | www.h e rmagaz i n e . c o. n z required for individuals, families and communities. This can be seen through the establishment of the 0800 Quake Counselling and Support line, the establishment of the Earthquake Support Service, pastoral care arrangements and community based events. I have also led the Residential Red Zone programme which largely involves the offer to purchase properties within the area zoned Red within the Greater Christchurch area. This is land significantly damaged in the earthquakes where a voluntary offer is available for homeowners to sell their property to the crown and resettle elsewhere. What time, costs and resources has this work consumed? Too many hours to count. The intention and manner in which we have approached the Social Recovery work has been to lead and coordinate other agencies, stakeholders and partners, ensuring that when CERA finishes in 2016 the capacity and work will be enduring and relevant, but won���t require us to be here. How are you ensuring the rebuild will create an improved Christchurch? We are monitoring and tracking the social recovery through a number of agency related sets of data. We have a significant Psychosocial programme of work in place to provide early intervention support to individuals, families and communities and are assisting and supporting communities to lead their own recovery process. Carolyn Ingles Urban Design and Regeneration Manager, Christchurch City Council Where were you on 22 February, 2011? In the Christchurch City Council offices in Hereford Street, in the middle of a meeting on repairing some damage from the 4 September 2010 earthquake. I remember looking at the person next to me and then we both dove under a very small table and held on to each other. The next memory I have is being on the banks of the Avon River, checking among��the staff to see those who needed support. After that, I went in search of my husband who worked in the central city too ��� being a good planner, I had actually pre-arranged a meeting point for us should there be another disaster and we found each other on the way to the Peacock Fountain in the Botanic Gardens. What have you personally done to aid the Christchurch rebuild? I led the team that prepared the draft Central City Recovery Plan which was forwarded to the Minister�� for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery in December 2011. Since that time I have led the same team in implementing projects to improve the city as it transitions to full recovery. We have also been liaising with CERA and CCDU on the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan; initially this was to advise, brief and give input into the plan as it developed and latterly to assist in the early implementation of anchor projects. What was the motive behind your work? All of this work is about helping Christchurch, in particular the central city, to recover as quickly as possible. Before the earthquake, a large part of my work involved central city planning and revitalisation. I am a passionate advocate for the central city and I like the quirkiness and individuality that is possible. I also believe that our central city is for everyone and so it has to be flexible, appealing and dynamic. What time, costs and resources has this work consumed? It is impossible to calculate this. Perhaps I can turn that around by saying that my staff and I have discussed that while we would rather that the earthquakes had not occurred

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