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Every year, the National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) network holds an annual conference where expertise and lessons are shared among members and other partners in emergency response and disaster recovery.  In 2024, the NVOAD conference was held in Phoenix, AZ, from May 6-9th. Exemplifying the conference theme “United in Service,”  PR PASS Workshop worked with Habitat for Humanity to design two workshops that provided reflections rooted in Habitat for Humanity's Puerto Rico Recovery Program (2018-2023).

The first of these workshops provided a case-study the 4C's of disaster partnering in practice during a long term recovery program. Among the key contributions was a the exploration of the role of cultural competence in effective communication. Among the examples discussed, the workshop examined how differing notions of accountability and trust may interfered with the implementation of a recovery plan. 

The three person panel is composed by representatives of the local affiliate, international headquarters, and the external program evaluator. Stories and examples shared will illustrate the 4’Cs in practice between the local affiliate, international headquarters, cross-sector collaborators, participants and communities during Habitat for Humanity’s 5 year and $63 million dollar Puerto Rico Recovery Program.

The workshop was divided into 4 parts. Each presentation topic incorporated feedback from the audience as part of the development of the topic. The final segment is a open discussion that invites participants to share their insights, recommendations and experience that might inform how organizations can incorporate change effectively during a post-disaster setting. The workshop has been developed to ensure the following objectives:

  1. Define and appreciate the role of cultural competence in effective communication in a disaster setting.

    The interactive presentation of the case study a case study featuring a Recovery Program in Puerto Rico (2017-2023) will present challenges met when communicating across different cultural contexts, when factors that contribute to feelings of vulnerability both accumulate and compound, and when interpreting and presenting recovery.

  2. Participants will learn how notions of accountability, trust, monitoring and evaluation may interfere with collaboration and coordination in a disaster context.
  3. The case study reviewed will discuss challenges that emerged from a low-social trust environment and how they were overcome thanks to collaboration agreements and systematization of procedures (enhancing coordination). Brainstorm for additional changes that could have improved work-flow.
  4. Explore the potential impact of community cooperation across the span of program service.

Workshop presentations:

  • "Blueprints for Change: Meeting urgent and complex problems with a sense of relationship and history" - Amanda Silva, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Puerto RIco
  • "Building for Rapid Change and Lasting Impact: Review of collaborations and lessons learned in a muti-dimensional approach to safe and secure homes" - Kate Pifer, US Longterm Recovery, Habitat for Humanity International 
  • "How cultural competence and community engagement informed programmatic change and impact metrics" - Laura Gorbea, External Evaluator, PR PASS Workhshop