Community Resilience after Disaster in Taiwan: A Case Study of Jialan Village with the Strengths Perspective

Abstract

This article examines community resilience in disaster recovery in Jialan Village, where many families lost their homes when Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan in 2008. In-depth interviews were conducted with policymakers, social workers, resource coordinators, and leaders of the local aboriginal community. The main findings were (a) the village's recovery was due to the effective use and coordination of community resources; (b) partnership building between the public and private sectors was crucial in the community's recovery; and (c) the recovery was enhanced by values such as a strong sense of mutual help, good physical health, positive attitudes, and autonomy.

KEYWORDS:

• community resilience
• community work
• coordination
• disaster management
• protective factors
• self-help
• social work intervention
• strengths perspective

Acknowledgments

This article is part of a report commissioned by the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China titled Social Work in a Disaster Zone. Our thanks go to all the people and organizations that assisted us in this work, especially the residents of Jialan Village and related self-help groups.

Notes

¹See the website at http://www.lovelytaiwan.org.tw/act/sp1/home_1.html.