Victorian 'Safe Communities' Information Kit
Appendix - Criteria
1. An infrastructure based on partnership and collaborations, governed by a cross-sectional group that is responsible for safety promotion in their community.
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
Latrobe Valley Better Health Project Management Committee manages the program. The group is made up of major stakeholders in the community and consists of representatives from Council, health sector including local hospital and rural health centre, education and vocational training sector, justice and a range of other community groups.
An Injury Prevention Reference Group oversees the activities of the Safe Communities program. The group is made up of major stakeholders and community members and consists of representatives from Council, health services, research organisations, sport and recreation, transport, education, workplace health and safety and division of general practice. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly, Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
Program consists of an advisory group and issue specific project groups that address identified injury priorities. The Advisory Group is made up of representatives from each of the participating Councils and Northern Sydney Area Health Service.
Each Project Group has a convenor organisation responsible for establishing, convening and coordinating the group. Groups have multi-sectoral representation by agencies involved with the identified safety issue. The involvement of interested members of the broader community is encouraged. - Hume City Council Safe Living Program
Program is managed by Council’s Health Services Team Leader and is advised by cross-sectional committees drawn from the whole of the municipality at three levels.- Reference Group comprising about 40 representatives from a wide range of sectors in the community which has input into the general direction of the Program, and looks for suggestions for improvement.
- Safe Living Program Committee is an inter-sectoral advisory committee comprising representatives from Council, residents, emergency services, police, health services, transport and funding and research organisations.
- Working Groups that have evolved to address specific injury priorities of the Safe Living Program.
- Ryde Safe Communities Project
The Safe Communities Steering Committee has the role of guiding the project. Its functions include identifying resources, supporting the initiatives of the Working Groups and making opportunities for joint ventures possible through links at senior organisational levels. The Steering Committee provides a forum for networking and an opportunity for representatives from a range of groups and agencies to clarify directions. Membership includes representatives from Council, health, police, local MP, transport, education, division of general practice, sporting clubs, child care centres, service clubs and community organisations and members.
The Project Management Group is a functional body between the Steering Committee and Working Groups. Its role is day-to-day project planning, supporting the Steering Committee and Working Groups, addressing the data requirements of the project, both in terms of needs assessment and evaluation, and developing competent decision-making within the Project.
The Working Groups consist of a broad range of people from local organisations and the community and each addresses a specific safety issue or environment, identify the priorities they will work on and develop a plan of action. The Working Groups also have the flexibility to respond to emerging community needs.
2. Long-term, sustainable programs covering both genders and all ages, environments, and situations.
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
Community involvement has been a central feature of the project since its inception, the Safe Communities Program has been able to effectively encourage involvement at all levels of activities. Organisations that have been involved include Gippsland Latrobe Football League, Latrobe Valley Migrant Resource Centre, the Central Gippsland Aboriginal Cooperative, Yallourn Medical and Hospital Society, the Alcohol and Drug Service, Generation Victoria, Occupational Health and Safety Networks, Victoria Police, Police Community Consultative Committees, farming groups, Monash University Gippsland and community members participate at working group, Reference Group, management and special events. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
The local community has been involved in identifying injury issues, carrying out activities and spreading a message of safety to groups they are affiliated with. Examples of community involvement include a community safety telephone survey involving health workers, police, council staff and community members; senior members of the community developed and participated in a Cross with Care project; seniors were involved in development and distribution of a Senior Safety Calendar; Manly Beach Safety Project involved policing volunteers, surf lifesavers, council and police; Safety Audits focussed on falls hazards in public places and personal safety issues; Smoke Alarms Saves Lives involved organisations such as Meals on Wheels, Fire Brigade, Council, The Warringah Mall Club, Sydney Home Nursing Service; Static Water Supply Program involved NSW Fire Brigades, Rural Fire Service, local government, health services and the local community. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
Committee membership and participation in activities has extended to incorporate the whole of the new municipality. Local community networks, which are involved, include preschools, schools, childcare groups, seniors groups, sporting clubs, maternal and child health nurses, emergency services and health and welfare providers. The people and organisations in the former Shire of Bulla area continue to show strong commitment to the Safe Living Program through attendance at working group meetings and participation in displays and promotions. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
Ryde Safe Communities Working Groups consist of a broad range of people from local organisations and the community. The Groups are broadly representative of key organisations and community members involved with or concerned about specific safety issues. Membership includes representatives from Council, health, Police, local MP, Roads and Traffic Authority, education, Division of General Practice, sporting clubs, child care centres, community organisations, service clubs and community members.
3. Programs that target high-risk groups and environments, and programs that promote safety for vulnerable groups.
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The program has included all ages from the outset and included activities with a focus on home injuries (children, elderly, ales of middle age), alcohol related injury (both intentional and unintentional injury), sports injury (Australian rules footballers), and playground injury (public, private and commercial environments). The program has deliberately networked with organisations that have a focus on all types of injury and prevention in the community. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
Injury priorities were identified through a process of community consultation and data analysis. The program covers all ages and priority environments and situations such as safety in public places with a special emphasis on alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour and a strong focus on underage drinking; falls in the elderly both inside and outside the home; child safety for 1-4 years age group; road safety for drivers and pedestrians of all ages and bike safety for school aged children; sports safety information and training for local coaches and teachers; and fire safety including a smoke alarm campaign for the community as a whole with seniors and parents of young children being the main focus. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
The Safe Living Program aimed from the start to cover all ages, environments and situations. It has working groups in children’s safety, traffic safety, sports injury prevention and senior’s safety. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
A Safety Forum was convened to bring together those involved in safety to discuss and identify safety issues. The priority issues coming out of the Forum included community safety, pedestrian safety, child safety and falls prevention. Working groups were established for each area.
4. Programs that document the frequency and causes of injuries
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The Injury Prevention Reference Group and working parties meet at regular intervals, injury data is regularly reviewed and strategies altered to take account of high-risk situations and groups. La Trobe Safe Communities has placed special emphasis on elderly falls prevention, children’s injuries in the home, family day care, school, playground and sports; sports injury prevention including alcohol usage, and youth and alcohol including anti-violence and responsible serving of alcohol. The Program works in collaboration with the Migrant Resource Centre and has links with the indigenous population. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
The determination of priorities involved extensive consultation with local organisations and community groups, as well as an analysis of available data. This process not only determined what the most important issues were, but also identified groups most in need. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
The Safe Living Program Committee sets priorities and the working groups are formed in response to the injury data – the frequency and severity of injuries – the likely preventability of the injuries, and also the lack of ability of various groups to protect themselves. Emphasis continues to be placed on children and the elderly because they are over-represented in the injury statistics and because they need special assistance to prevent injuries. The peer education program has been directed to specifically target NESB and/or low income groups as published research has shown that low income people and people from non-English speaking backgrounds had poorer health status, higher rates of injury, and less access to relevant information and resources. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
Working groups convened as an outcome of priorities selected by a community Safety Forum determined aspects they would work on. Decisions were made on the basis of how large the problem is how many people were affected and whether the group could do anything about it.
5. Evaluation measures to assess their programs, processes and the effects of change.
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The Victorian Injury Surveillance System (VISS) managed by Monash University Accident Research Centre at Clayton commenced an all age injury and poisoning data collection at the Latrobe Regional Hospital in 1991. The Extended Latrobe Valley Injury Study (ELVIS), a collaborative project of the Monash University Centre for Rural Health, the Central West Gippsland Division of General (Medical) Practice and Monash University Accident Research Centre, collect injury and poisoning data for a twelve month period from November 1994. These collections have continued to provide an in depth understanding of the pattern of injury in the local population. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
A well-established hospital separation data collection system exists in Northern Sydney. This data is collected by Northern Sydney Area Health Service and is broken down to provide injury statistics by local government area. SHOROC Safe Communities also utilises additional data sources such as Police statistics, Roads and Traffic Authority statistics, local government data from the Beach Inspector Lifeguard Service and NSW Fire Brigade data. SHOROC Safe Communities is committed to increasing injury surveillance efforts in the region. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
Several sources of injury data are available to the Hume City Council’s Safe Living Program. These data are used to identify local injury problems, to determine injury reduction targets and to monitor effectiveness of the program. A comprehensive evaluation of the first three years of the Safe Living Program in the former Shire of Bulla was published in 1994. Statewide injury data sources from which City of Hume data can be extracted include – Coronial data, hospitals admissions data, Vic roads and Police data, and occupational injury data. Local survey data includes Shire of Bulla General Practice one-month sample injury data, samples of schools injuries, household telephone surveys, intervention specific surveys and observational studies and ABS Household Safety Survey. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
Work was undertaken by Macquarie University to develop an injury profile of the Ryde Local Government area and to examine injury surveillance and data management systems as they relate to Ryde. Local research and surveys identified community safety issues, perceptions of safety and information needs in relation to safety concerns.
6. Ongoing participation in national and international Safe Communities networks
Safe Communities examples (summarised)
- La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The Latrobe Valley Better Health Project – Injury Prevention Program has adopted the term La Trobe Safe Communities to reflect this long-term commitment. Close links with La Trobe Shire have been forged so that preventative actions will be enshrined in all aspects of council community service and facilities (aged and disability, children, engineering, recreation and youth services) and in the development of municipal public health plans and Latrobe Primary (Health) Care proposals. Collaborative efforts to secure sponsorship and maintain partnerships are intended to ensure an ongoing program to address injury prevention as a local community priority. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
Participating Councils are adopting safety measures into plans, policies and work practices. Injury prevention and community safety is becoming a conscious and sustainable way of working. The SHOROC Safe Communities Advisory Group and working groups are long-term initiatives and council plans and policies reflect this. Northern Sydney Area Health Service has funded the project for a five-year period and has an ongoing commitment to support the program at both the advisory and project group level. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
The program has evolved through some major phases over the last five years and has been adopted by the Hume City Council at a time when the whole municipal budget was being cut by approximately 20%. The program is working to actively institutionalise injury prevention activities into the strategies and operations of Hume City Council and of other agencies and local organisations. This is particularly demonstrated in Council’s Municipal Public Health Plan and Corporate Plan. Environmental change is a strong component of the program that will produce long-term injury prevention benefits. The program seeks to empower people and organisations mainly through information and training. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
The Ryde Safe Communities Project is fortunate to have highly motivated and inspired Working Groups that drive the project. These groups consist of a broad mix of local organisations and community members. The Steering Committee invited agencies to lead each of the Working Groups. Northern Sydney Health Promotion adopted the WHO Safe Communities model for community based injury prevention in it’s Injury Prevention Strategic Plan in 1994. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
Monash University Accident Research Centre evaluates aspects of the programs initiated and involved with La Trobe Safe Communities. Outcome measures are in place for changes in injury rates, frequency and severity resulting from the program. Comparison data are available for state-wide deaths and hospital admissions. Process and impact measures are also employed to provide evidential link between the program activities and any reduction in injury achieved. Hazard reductions and protective measures can be used. Policy and changes in practices of local agencies is monitored. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
An evaluation sub-committee was established in 1996. This group has developed a Strategic and Evaluation Framework with specific objectives, strategies and indicators. An external evaluation consultant is currently conducting an evaluation of the project. This evaluation is largely qualitative, as reductions in injury morbidity and mortality are a long-term measure. The evaluation will place an emphasis on community participation, intersectoral cooperation and organisational change. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
Outcome measures are in place for changes in injury rates, frequencies and severity resulting from the Safe Living Program. Comparison data are available for a ‘control’ municipality for the former Shire of Bulla and for state-wide deaths, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, workplace injuries and traffic casualties. Process and impact measures are also employed in the evaluation. The effectiveness of the first three years of the Safe Living Program (former Shire of Bulla) was reported in detail in the report of the evaluation undertaken by Monash University Accident Research Centre. The continuing evaluation will focus on injury outcome measures, hazard reductions and a limited number of process measures, including, to the extent possible, community acceptance of the program in terms of institutionalisation of the program within the organisation and groups within the community. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
The Project Management Group has also had a role in supporting the Working Groups to set plans and time frames. Plans have been established which identify performance indicators and set in place methods for monitoring progress. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The analysis of community organisations was extensively examined and consulted during the planning phase in 1991. Membership of the Injury Prevention Reference group currently exceeds thirty six individuals representing a wide cross section of this community, in addition to this, working party membership is also constantly changing and expanding. During the early development of the program a deliberate effort was made to network with as wide a range of community agencies as possible. A deliberate focus has been to enlist the resources and support of various community groups, agencies and business so that the workload of injury prevention efforts is spread across the whole community and in an ongoing way. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
Participation by local organisations has been evident for the earliest days of the Safe Communities Program. Community organisations have been involved in the identification of local injury priorities and the development and implementation of all affiliated projects. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
A Council data base was used in 1991 to develop the Safe Living Program’s own mailing list, which is segregated into over 30 different sections covering different types of organisations. Council officers have substantial personal networks in the areas of children’s services, older person’s services, leisure and sporting organisations and other community groups. Council employs a social planner and community development workers who have assisted the Safe Living Staff to identify organisations likely to participate in the program. The Strategic Plan contains details of how organisations will be targeted to participate in the program. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
A ‘Safety Forum’ was held at Ryde City Council in September 1996. The purpose of the forum was to bring together those involved in safety and those who had an interest in safety in Ryde, to discuss and prioritise issues for the City. There are many reasons why local organisations and the community need to commit themselves to working together in partnership. Better use of resources, avoiding duplication, increasing the ability to address issues which are beyond the control of one organisation, working together to find solutions to commonly agreed problems, developing sustainable and creative solutions and trying to address social inequity are some reasons for involvement. The project has been conscious of the fact that intersectoral partnerships are not always guaranteed success. The Ryde Safe Communities Project commissioned the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of Sydney to research and assess the degree to which the project had established strong safety networks, developed partnerships with the capacity to address safety, influenced policies and structures and established mechanisms for community involvement. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
Health care professionals through the Central West Gippsland Division of General (Medical) Practice, the Monash Centre for Rural Health, Latrobe Community Health Service, La Trobe Shire and Latrobe Regional Hospital are all extensively involved with La Trobe Safe Communities and its working groups. Others include community health nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and private health insurers. Latrobe Regional Hospital and the Central West Gippsland Division of General Practice have been collecting injury since 1991 and 1994 respectively. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
The Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) has been heavily involved in the program. The project was initially funded for three years by NSAHS, with a recent extension for a further two years. In 1997, the SHOROC Regional Organisation of Councils and NSAHS signed the ‘Commitment to a Safe Community’. This document was co-signed by Professor Leif Svanstrom of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion. NSAHS staff are represented on the Safe Communities Advisory Committee and all the working groups. Data from the NSAHS has been utilised in priority setting, project planning and development, and will be used in the overall evaluation of the program. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
Health care professionals and organisations are extensively involved with the Safe Living Program. Injury surveillance systems have been operating at hospitals, which serve the area. Local general practitioners have been involved in an injury survey, in working groups and have participated in the use of medication cards for seniors and first aid courses. The Sunbury Private Hospital, Sunbury Community Health Centre and Broadmeadows Craigieburn Community Health Service have all supported and contributed to the program. Local physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and pharmacists have been involved in the delivery of information and education sessions. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
The Ryde Safe Communities Steering Committee has representatives from a range of groups and agencies including health care professionals. Although the issue of suicide prevention is not a current priority issue, the Health Service is working on a mental health initiative. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
In every possible way, all levels of the Latrobe Valley community are involved in solving the injury problem. This includes formal levels, such as local government and government departments, private corporations, service clubs and community agencies as well as various community associations and regular media exposure. Local community organisations and established networks are the key element of the program’s operational structure. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
There are many organisations currently involved in SHOROC Safe Communities. These include local government; police, fire brigade, the Roads and Traffic Authority as well as numerous community based organisations. Direct service providers, policy makers and planners, representatives of groups at risk and representatives of recipients of services are among those actively involved in the project. SHOROC Safe Communities pursues community involvement in its activities. Community involvement is particularly strong at the working group level, where members of the community take an active role in project development and implementation. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
All levels of the community are involved in injury prevention activities. The three tiers of the committee structure correspond to different levels of the community being involved in different levels of the planning process. In the first three years of the Safe Living Program in the Shire of Bulla, approximately 300 volunteers (1% of the adult population) assisted the program. About 1,600 people participated in injury prevention training (6% of the adult population), and 45% of local residents were aware of the program. Two new initiatives – the employment of two children’s safety peer trainer coordinators and the Play It Safe, Sport project – aim directly at increasing the participation of community groups and individuals in preventing injuries. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
The Ryde Safe Communities Project is fortunate to have highly motivated and inspired Working Groups, which drive the project. These groups consist of a broad mix of local organisations and community members. The Community Safety Working Group comprises representatives from police, council, health, education department, community organisations and youth workers. The Child Safety Working Group has representatives from education department, health, council, police and community. The Pedestrian Safety Working Group has representatives from police, RTA, council, health, education and community organisations. The Falls Prevention Working Group comprises representatives from Division of General Practice, health, council, community service providers, community organisations and community members. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
The La Trobe Safe Communities is an active member of the Australian Community Safety Network and has hosted annual general meetings of this group. The project officer is a member of a number of state committees, forums and reference groups and has attended International Conferences on WHO Safe Communities in Norway and Canada. Project staff were involved in organising the Third International Conference on Injury Prevention and Control (Melbourne 1996) and hosted the Fifth Safe Communities Conference (Hume and Latrobe 1996). In addition there has been numerous other national, state and local forums, conferences and meetings to further Safe Community concepts. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
The SHOROC Safe Communities Project has communicated its experiences widely. Three Northern Sydney Area Health Service officers attended the Fifth Safe Communities Conference in Victoria and hosted a WHO Site Visit to the region following the Conference. A representative travelled with the WHO delegation to the Accredited Safe Communities of Parkes and Illawarra. NSAHS staff presented two papers at the Eighth National Health Promotion Conference (Sydney 1996). SHOROC and NSAHS hosted a visit to Northern Sydney by Professor Leif Svanstrom in September 1997. Six papers were presented on behalf of SHOROC Safe Communities at The Seventh International Conference on Safe Communities held in Rotterdam (May 1998). - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
The Safe Living Program is an active member of the Australian Community Safety Network and hosted the first meeting of that group in February 1991. Staff has since attended all workshops of the network. The program distributes Safe Living News to all other Australian community based prevention programs and selected overseas programs. Staff participated in international safe communities conferences in Falkoping, Atlanta and Fort McMurray. Hume City Council hosted SafeComm5 and has participated and presented papers at a number of other state and local conference and forums. Two major reports have been released and widely distributed on the first three years of the Safe Living Program. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
The project has taken the opportunity to present at a number of local, national and international seminars and conferences as a way of sharing experiences with others. Presentations have been made at the Second National Injury Prevention and Control Conference (Melbourne 1998) and Safe Comm –7 (Rotterdam 1998). The arrival of Professor Robyn Norton to Northern Sydney Health to set up an injury epidemiology unit will increase our capacity for further research that will enrich the project. The Ryde Safe Communities Project has had some beneficial impacts beyond its boundaries. An example of this is the establishment of a new statewide position on Safe Communities, which came largely because of the Ryde experience. This new position will involve setting up three Safe Community projects in other parts of NSW. - La Trobe Shire Safe Communities
Participation in national and international conferences is evidence of this commitment. This program also contributes to a national network of community safety practitioners and assists communities in New Zealand and Australia to pursue the concept of community safety and localised ownership of injury issues. The La Trobe program has also made deliberate efforts in forging connections and collaboration between intentional and unintentional injury prevention. - SHOROC member Councils of Manly,
Mosman, Pittwater & Warringah
Strong communication links have been established at the local, national and international levels. SHOROC Safe Communities is committed to sharing its experiences and is keen to learn from the experiences of others. SHOROC Safe Communities is a program based on the premise that ongoing cooperation between organisations is the key to community safety. SHOROC has been active in convening a meeting with other ‘Safe Communities’ in NSW, hosted a visit by Henk Harberts from La Trobe Safe Communities, participated in a planning meeting for the Asia Pacific Conference (Waitakere 1999) and sought Australian aid sponsorship for underdeveloped countries for the Asia Pacific Conference in Waitakere. - Hume City Council Safe Living
Program
The Safe Living Program will undertake to continue to contribute actively to the building and maintenance of national and international coalitions. Since the commencement of the program Council has supported staff to attend and make presentations at international conferences in Falkoping, Atlanta, San Diego and Fort McMurray and national conferences in Australia. The program will distribute regular newsletters and other publications throughout the network of Safe Communities. Program staff had an active role in the development towards formally constituting the Australian Safe Community Network. The Hume City Council recognises its status as a leader in community safety in Australia and accepts its responsibility to promote Community Safety nationally and internationally. - Ryde Safe Communities Project
In Ryde the culture of working with others has been strengthened. Marketing of the Ryde Safe Communities Project at this stage has mainly been in the form of incidental media coverage in the local press, local organisations’ newsletters and media launches. Now that a strong foundation has been laid the project can invest more on increasing its public profile. The accreditation process will also assist with profile building for the project. A WHO Site Visit was organised by Northern Sydney Health (February 1996 following SafeComm5) with Ryde hosting a Pedestrian Safety Forum and Safety Expo.