The Engine of The New New Zealand

Mitigating disaster

Disasters can be devasting. On property, people, and their lives, not just immediately after, but for years to come.

Sarb Johal and the team at the world-leading Joint Centre for Disaster Research (with GNS Science) are helping figure out the best way to reduce the impact for those involved. To help them recover and support them in the medium to long term – not just immediately afterwards.

Their work is gaining international attention – and they need more help.

What does Sarb do?

From suicide prevention and swine flu vaccine policy, to writing the UK’s National Pandemic ‘Flu Strategy and the psychology of disaster recovery, Associate Professor Dr Sarb Johal is living proof of the sheer variety of areas a psychology qualification can lead to.

His key work at the Joint Centre for Disaster Research is in ‘psychological and social impacts’: how people cope as individuals and communities after natural and environmental disasters.

In New Zealand, he’s been involved in work around the Christchurch earthquake, but also in looking at the impacts of the running-aground of the container ship the Rena.

He’s also representing New Zealand at international level in a handful of projects aimed at getting smarter at supporting people in the medium to long term, after disasters.

Blogging advice

The Disaster Research team was heavily involved in work after the Christchurch earthquake.  Sarb was working in London at the time of the February 22 earthquake in 2011 and got straight online to blog regular practical advice to Cantabrians and emergency teams based on his expertise in the human impacts of disasters.

It’s an ongoing process, with the team working (as part of Massey’s Psychosocial Recovery Group) with New Zealand government departments to make sure financial and other much-needed resources are coordinated and channelled to help Cantabrians recover.

That’s involved simple things like putting together factsheets to help those dealing with those affected, giving them tips and ideas for ways of helping those affected. They are also providing advice for Government agencies on how to measure how communities are doing in the recovery phase, and evidence and practice-based advice for Ministers.

Closing the cracks

Skilled psychologists have a unique contribution to make in a disaster situation, Sarb explains, because most people involved in emergency management tend to be either “policy heads” (Sarb was one of those, so he can say that) or frontline emergency services staff.

While Sarb says these roles are obviously vital, he adds: “What can happen is people are fixed up at the time of a disaster and sent on their way, and it’s left to the health and welfare systems to later pick up the people who are really struggling.”

But Sarb’s work brings together research, policy and clinical practice to help identify these vulnerable people early on rather than watch them slip through the cracks to become an extra burden on the health system.

New Zealand takes the lead

New Zealand is one of a few countries taking a strong lead in psychosocial effects in disaster management, working closely with Australia and other nations to share information and develop good practice.

Sarb says events like the Christchurch earthquakes are a big learning opportunity for New Zealand and the world – but the trick will be to keep tabs on all aspects of the recovery so we can collate and make sense of the multitude of studies, reports and inquiries that will flow from these events, now and in the coming years.

Take a look at how you can do it too.

About the Joint Centre for Disaster Research

The Joint Centre for Disaster Research is a world-leading joint venture between Massey and GNS Science, based within Massey’s School of Psychology, at Massey’s Wellington campus.

It’s a unique collaboration – combining social sciences with geological know-how.

The Centre focuses on teaching and research that helps to gain a better understanding of the impacts of natural, man-made and environmental disasters on communities. It looks to improve the way society manages the risk of disaster, as well as helping communities be more prepared.

That’s about the hands-on work – the rescue and logistic specialists that responded to the Christchurch earthquake, clearing more than 600 homes and working directly with the Taiwan Special Search and Rescue Team.

But it’s also about support.

The Centre is involved in New Zealand’s work around the development of psychosocial support policy in the South Pacific. Its growing experience in this area, and the fact that many New Zealanders have strong family and cultural ties to the South Pacific, makes this a natural fit.

Recently Sarb and his colleagues played a meaty role in getting a new project running at the UN-affiliated International Council for Science. The project will build skills in Asia Pacific to make sure experienced psychologists are automatically part of the team in the aftermath of disasters.

In the past year, while focused on advice provision and research in Canterbury, Centre staff have also hosted visiting international experts from the United States, China, Australia, Turkey and the World Bank, and made over 50 presentations to expert audiences overseas. There are also currently 21 PhD students working on projects.

Sarb Johal

Associate Professor of Psychology,
Massey University

Joint Centre for Disaster Research

Find out more about disaster recovery

Don’t panic!

If you want to follow in Sarb’s footsteps or just want to learn more about what he does all day, check out our Area of Interest page for Disaster Recovery.

There you’ll learn more relating to what Disaster Recovery is really all about, what kinds of careers you can get in that field, and how Massey University can help you get started down that path – just like Sarb.