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The present study explores the potential of well-being and resilience benefits for people who are civically engaged in the context of the Christchurch terror attacks. Young people (n = 530, mean age = 20.9) completed one civic engagement, well-being, and resilience questionnaire. Results showed that people who were flourishing had significantly higher levels of civic engagement compared to those who were doing just ok. A hierarchical regression showed that civic engagement predicted 35% of the variance in well-being, controlling for age and SES. Civic intentions, community belonging, social trust, generosity, and helping a neighbour made unique contributions to well-being. A second hierarchical regression showed that civic engagement predicted 5% of the variance in resilience, controlling for well-being and age. Civic intentions, helping a neighbour, and volunteering made unique contributions to resilience. How civic engagement promotes well-being and resilience, and how to promote civic engagement following adversity, are discussed.
Keywords: Civic engagement; Well-being; Resilience
Introduction
Evidence of human excellence - generosity, love, community and flourishing - is perhaps most remarkable when evident in contexts of significant adversity and challenge (Ryff & Singer, 2003). In the aftermath of the Christchurch terror attacks on March 15th, people have reported they feel sad, angry, and fearful, but people have also reported they feel gratitude, love, respect, compassion, and belonging (Fouda, 2019; O'Connell Ripara, 2019).
While Aotearoa New Zealand continues to grieve for the 50 lives lost in the terror attack, there has also been an outpouring of support for the survivors and the Muslim community. Seventy thousand people signed a gun law reform petition, tens of thousands of New Zealanders have donated to survivor and families of victims support organisation, thousands of people have formed human chains of solidarity around mosques while people prayed, and tens of thousands have attended vigils, held in every centre around Aotearoa New Zealand (O'Connell Ripara, 2019). Directly following the attack, volunteers flocked to Christchurch to help (Martin, 2019), taxi drivers offered their services for free, (RNZ, 2019), people have brought food and flowers to mosques (Fouda, 2019), and organised donations of goods, vouchers, and care packages to survivors and the Muslim community (Let's Collaborate, 2019). In the weeks following the attack people continue to offer their support to the Muslim community through...