You have recently been employed as a project officer in a government department and have been tasked by your supervisor to develop two sections of a discussion paper, which will go to an oversight committee. The discussion paper informs the oversight committee about trends in voluntary participation during disaster events and strategies for enhancing voluntary activity. The oversight committee includes emergency and disaster management experts, community members, academics and researchers. To support the discussion paper, the oversight committee has asked that the discussion be framed around a local event, that is, the discussion must use a recent emergency or disaster event (of your choosing) and give examples from that event. The two sections that you have been tasked to write are to populate the trends section of the bigger discussion paper and include:
Part 2.1): a discussion, including a contemporary definition of the concept of community, and
Part 2.2): an analysis of the types of voluntary activity performed by members of the community during a recent emergency or disaster event (of your choice), and its alignment or otherwise to a formal organisation or agency. Part 2.2 will consist of the following:
a) name and a brief description of the event,
b) examples of the activity that community members contributed to that particular event,
c) identification of which contributions were part of formal volunteer role and which were not,
d) using the scholarly literature, align the formal and non-formal
A Discussion of the Concept of Community
The concept of community has been defined in many different ways throughout history. However, a contemporary definition of community is a group of people who share a common identity, sense of place, and set of values. Communities can be based on a variety of factors, such as geography, ethnicity, religion, or shared interests.
Types of Voluntary Activity
There are many different types of voluntary activity that can be performed by members of a community during a disaster event. These activities can range from providing emotional support to those affected by the disaster to providing practical assistance, such as cleaning up debris or distributing food and water.
Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
Voluntary activity can be either formal or informal. Formal voluntary activity is organized and structured, and it is usually carried out by members of a formal organization, such as a Red Cross chapter or a local church. Informal voluntary activity is less structured and organized, and it is usually carried out by individuals or small groups of people.
Alignment of Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity is important during disaster events. Formal organizations can provide valuable resources and support, but they can also be slow to respond. Informal voluntary activity can be more spontaneous and responsive, but it can also be less coordinated and efficient.
Examples of Voluntary Activity During a Disaster Event
There are many examples of voluntary activity that has been performed by members of communities during disaster events. Some examples include:
Conclusion
Voluntary activity is an important part of community resilience. It can help to mitigate the effects of disasters and to rebuild communities after disasters. The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity is important for ensuring that communities are able to respond effectively to disaster events.
Part 2.2: Analysis of Voluntary Activity During a Recent Disaster Event
Name and Brief Description of the Event
The event I will be discussing is the 2020 California wildfires. The wildfires were a series of wildfires that occurred in California in 2020. The fires burned over 4 million acres and destroyed over 10,000 structures. The fires also caused widespread damage to the environment.
Examples of Voluntary Activity
There were many examples of voluntary activity that was performed by members of communities during the 2020 California wildfires. Some examples include:
Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
Some of the voluntary activity that was performed during the 2020 California wildfires was formal voluntary activity. For example, the Red Cross and other organizations provided food, water, and shelter to those affected by the fires. However, much of the voluntary activity that was performed was informal voluntary activity. For example, many people volunteered their time to help clean up debris or to help with the rebuilding effort.
Alignment of Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity was important during the 2020 California wildfires. Formal organizations provided valuable resources and support, but they were also able to coordinate and support informal voluntary activity. For example, the Red Cross provided food and water to those affected by the fires, but they also worked with informal volunteer groups to distribute the food and water.
Conclusion
The 2020 California wildfires were a devastating event, but they also demonstrated the power of voluntary activity. The voluntary activity that was performed by members of communities helped to mitigate the effects of the fires and to rebuild communities after the fires. The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity was important for ensuring that communities were able to respond effectively to the disaster.
Using the Scholarly Literature, Align the Formal and Non-Formal Voluntary Activity
The scholarly literature on voluntary activity during disaster events suggests that both formal and informal voluntary activity are important. Formal voluntary activity can provide valuable resources and support, but it can also be slow to respond. Informal voluntary activity can be more spontaneous and responsive, but it can also be less coordinated and efficient.
The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity is important for ensuring that communities are able to respond effectively to disaster events. Formal organizations can provide resources and support, while informal volunteer groups can provide a more spontaneous and responsive response. The two types of voluntary activity can complement each other and help to ensure that communities are able to recover from disaster events.