Community Safety Month

Community Safety Month was initiated in 1996 by the Victorian Safe Communities Network (VSCN) and is currently managed by Strategic Communication Branch, Department of Justice.

Local communities, groups, schools, regional services, businesses, state and local government departments and agencies, are encouraged to build community safety partnerships by organising safety activities with other organisations and groups. For those with established partnerships, Community Safety Month provides an ideal opportunity to showcase existing safety programs or develop new ones.

Participation in Community Safety Month will demonstrate your commitment to maintaining Victoria as the safest state in Australia. By promoting safety and safe practices within your community, you will be contributing to increasing the confidence of Victorians about safety.

Community Safety Month practises a partnership-based approach, with over 80% of activities organised in partnership between two or more different organisations, groups or government agencies.

In 2005, nearly 600 organisations were involved in organising over 1,000 safety related activities across Victoria.

Some examples of activities you can organise are:

Promote Community Safety Month in your organisation’s newsletters and on your website
Organise a community forum or seminar on a community safety topic of your choice
Run competitions with a safety theme in your local newspaper or organisation’s newsletter
Distribute information (flyers/leaflets) to promote your organisation and their safety message
Undertake safety audits of local areas - home, business, and shopping centre
Prepare a safety display for your local shopping centre
Launch safety projects and campaigns in your area
Run practical workshops on safety, e.g. a self-defence seminar
Work with other local organisations to jointly promote community safety
Involve local celebrities or well-known social figures to endorse your event and/or messages
Create an “open day” style event, enticing the public to get an “inside look” at the safety measures you have in place

Check the Community safety month website www.communitysafetymonth.com.au for more activity suggestions and don’t forget to register your activity.

For more information on how you can get involved in Community SafetyMonth please contact:

Community Safety Month Manager

Strategic Communication Branch
Department of Justice
GPO Box 4356

Melbourne Vic 3001
Phone: (03) 8684 0305
Fax: (03) 8684 0311
Email: info@communitysafetymonth.com.au
www.communitysafetymonth.com.au