What we do
The Victorian Safe Communities Network (VSCN) was established in 1996, during the Fifth International Conference on Safe Communities held in Victoria. Hume City Council (formerly Shire of Bulla) and the Latrobe Shire were designated as World Health Organisation Safe Communities at this time and were the first municipalities in Australia to become W
HO - designated Safe Communities.
The purpose of the VSCN is to encourage government and community to work collaboratively on public safety, crime and violence, and injury prevention. The social and financial benefits are accrued by addressing both intentional and unintentional injury within the guiding principles of healthy public policy, community participation and intersectoral collaboration. The VSCN provides a forum for practitioners, researchers, and policy makers within community safety to support one another.
The achievements of the first decade are summarised in the words of one member - the Network has become a "mature, confident, competent, passionate, strong and unique organisation."
From mid 2003 the Safety Centre has provided the Secretariat for the VSCN. The Royal Children's Hospital Safety Centre was a founding member of the VSCN in 1996 and continues to have a very strong involvement in the Victorian Safe Communities Network. This participation provides a major source of support for community-based workers especially in local government, who consult the Safety Centre and the VSCN for information and advice.