The recovery journey
$7.9 million is allocated to a three-year recovery program, which began in mid-May 2022.
Recovery from these floods will take a long time.
From cleaning up, to rebuilding from nothing, to dealing with the ongoing trauma of the disaster, communities impacted by the floods will need support for years to come.
Trevor, Red Cross Project Recovery Officer
“Different people have different rates of recovery and different states of mental health. For people who have lost everything, it is going to take a very long time for them to be back on track.”
Of course, it's going to stay with us for the rest of our lives. But you have to deal with it.
Johnny spent the night of the flood stuck on his roof. In the morning, he jumped in a friend's boat and started helping rescue people stuck in floodwaters, in houses and on roofs. He used the Relief Grant from Red Cross to pay for food and fuel, and plans to be involved in the ongoing recovery work in his community.
Our recovery plan
Red Cross was the first organisation on the ground from May 2022, beginning our long-term recovery work. Here’s our plan.
Long-term recovery
Community outreach, to assess where and what the need is, support coordination of recovery services, and help people access other support services.
Psychosocial support, through outreach activities, community events, and training for groups and agencies involved in recovery. Our recovery teams ensure that everyone is included, especially people or communities that may be isolated or at higher risk, to be empowered to lead their recovery.
Capacity building, through providing information and recovery and preparedness training.
Community recovery, through supporting community-led recovery activities and community leaders.
Advocacy, through gathering and sharing data about how impacted communities are feeling and what further support they need.
Ushani, Red Cross Emergency Services volunteer
“I met some older people who kindly refused the practical help that was offered by Red Cross and the other agencies. They said others needed the support more than they did. ‘We have enough’ they said, ‘give to others.’
"Then I met a man who accepted all the help, support and vouchers he could get! He then rallied his despairing community to come to the Hub the next day and accept all the help they could get.
"As a migrant myself, I went to Brisbane with the lived experience of beginning again and expecting to meet many different people who were beginning again. All the local residents were similarly affected. All were beginning again to greater and lesser degrees.”