Victorian 'Safe Communities' Information Kit

Section 3 - Becoming a member of the Safe Communities Network

The community, usually a local municipality, makes application to the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion at the Karolinska Institute, around the twelve Criteria for membership outlined below, and if it is accepted an agreement is signed between the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion and the community.

Communities or organisations that wish to participate in the Safe Communities Network prepare an application and supporting material to enable the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion to assess whether and how the criteria for becoming a member of the Safe Community Network have been met. The application is expected to be comprehensive and to provide as much information as possible. It is recommended that aspiring applicants follow the structure of the applications from already designated Australian Safe Communities. Monash University Accident Research Centre (an Affiliated Safe Communities Support Centre) holds copies of applications from Hume City Council, La Trobe Safe Communities, Ryde Safe Communities and SHOROC Safe Communities (NSW).

Becoming a ‘safe community’ is a process that evolves over time and involves sustaining the community’s interest in a long-term program to develop and maintain a strong and integrated injury prevention and community safety program. The Safe Living Program in the City of Hume originated in the former Shire of Bulla in 1990 and was admitted to the WHO Safe Communities Network in 1994. The Shire of Bulla was amalgamated into the City of Hume in 1994 after the restructure of local government in Victoria. The new municipality continued the commitment to community safety and the Safe Living Program and was admitted to the WHO Safe Communities Network in 1996. The La Trobe Safe Communities program also developed and evolved over time. The La Trobe Valley Better Health Project was established in 1992 and after reviewing its goals and objectives was renamed La Trobe Safe Communities. Subsequently the program was incorporated into the Shire of La Trobe and admitted to the WHO Safe Communities Network in 1996.

The application process involves an on-site visit by a representative from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Safety Promotion during the early phase of making an application. This has proved to be valuable for applicants in discussing the criteria and the development of the application.

The following 6 criteria are used to assess applicants. They have been developed from the experiences of existing safe community programs and travelling seminars.

Criteria for membership

Safe Communities have:

An infrastructure based on partnership and collaborations, governed by a
cross-sectional group that is responsible for safety promotion in their community;
Long-term, sustainable programs covering both genders and all ages, environments, and situations;
Programs that target high-risk groups and environments, and programs that promote safety for vulnerable groups;
Programs that document the frequency and causes of injuries;
Evaluation measures to assess their programs, processes and the effects of change;
Ongoing participation in national and international Safe Communities networks.

The above criteria are set out in the attached Appendix, with examples in summary form, from Safe Community applications by La Trobe Shire Safe Communities, Hume City Council Safe Living Program, Ryde Safe Communities and SHOROC Safe Communities.

Certifying Centres

What is a Certifying Centre?

A Certifying Centre has to undertake the responsibility of serving as the primary certifying body for Safe Communities;
A Certifying Centre has to publicly affirm commitment to support local, regional and international Safe Community initiatives;
A Certifying Centre has to promote the Safe Communities model at local, regional and national levels;
and
A Certifying Centre has to contribute to knowledge development at the international level through the Safe Community Network, in partnership with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.

Any organization seeking a Certifying Centre status must have a documented record of experience in community safety program development and implementation, including evaluation of safety programs. Applicants applying for Certifying Centre status are expected to describe and define the “communities” they serve within the context of their programs; we hope that with the development of this program, that there will be one Certifying Centre located within each nation housing one or more Safe Communities programs.

The indicators for Certifying Centre are available at www.phs.ki.se/csp/who_certifying_centres_en.htm guiding principles and outcomes of effective Certifying Centres.

The first Certifying Centre “Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand” which is headed by Dr Carolyn Coggan was designated 21 September 2005. The Centre is also an Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre.

(Source: SAFE COMMUNITY NEWS no2. 2005)