Community Building in Crisis: Interventions With Displaced Communities in Temporary Housing Shelters

Abstract

Emergency displacement is a widespread phenomenon impacting all facets of life and increasing rates of psychological trauma. This article analyzes the effects of shared residency among evacuated and fragmented communities, focusing on social and communal disparities in temporary shelters. By adopting theoretical perspectives of community building and social capital, it describes interventions aimed at promoting resilience within newly formed shelter communities. A qualitative study was conducted in temporary housing shelters in Israel during wartime. The study included four focus groups with 31 professionals and an analysis of recent emergency protocols. Professional interventions following displacement into temporary evacuation centers create a new reference community, “the shelter community.” These mobilizing interventions include establishing volunteer emergency teams, strengthening community cohesion, and fostering community participation in renewed daily routines. Community building interventions in temporary housing shelters can foster personal and community empowerment following disasters worldwide.