Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre
Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand

Country: New Zealand
Population: 4,088,988
Programme started year: 2004 as SCFNZ (extension of SCFNZ Directors position as an ASCSC at IPRC, awarded in 2000)
Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre:
Designation year: 2005
Re-designated: 2007
Website: www.safecommunities.org.nz
Full application report

For further information contact

Dr Carolyn Coggan
Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand (SCFNZ)
PO Box 331399,Takapuna, North Shore City
Auckland 0740
New Zealand
Phone +64 9 4887601
Fax: +64 9 4887602
E-mail: coggan@scfnz.org
Website: www.safecommunities.org.nz

Brief description under each of the 10 indicators:

1 ) Provision of programs and services utilising multidisciplinary and cross sectoral approaches.

Communities

Safe Community designation

The Safe Communities Foundation of New Zealand (SCFNZ) has been established to work collaboratively with other key stakeholders to further support the development of community-based safety promotion and injury prevention. As such the SCFNZ community of interest is potentially the whole of New Zealand. The primary function of the SCFNZ is to increase the number and quality of accredited Safe Communities throughout New Zealand.

The SCFNZ has adopted both a public health and community development approach to safety promotion and injury prevention. ‘Safety’ is a concept that is concerned with achieving a positive state of wellbeing among people within social and physical environments. It is as much concerned with a subjective dimension – the perception of safety – as it is with the objective dimension – the absence of injury. Therefore, to develop and nurture injury-free families/whanau, homes and communities it is necessary to address diverse perceptions of ‘safety’ and ‘injury prevention’ while simultaneously intervening to reduce the behavioural, environmental and sociological factors which produce injuries.

The SCFNZ has adopted a collaborative style to its programme of work which utilises both a multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach. For example, SCFNZ Director, Trustees and staff, foster strategic partnerships with government agencies, industry, non-government groups and the wider community. A wide range of key relationships and strategic partnerships have been formed. The SCFNZ also strengthens and supports the creation of opportunities for contributing to the scientific basis and practice of community safety and injury prevention through its publications, interactions with government and non-government agencies, as well as the provision of training and resources to academics, policy-makers and practitioners.

Schools

Safe school designation

SCFNZ will be responsible for coordinating the Safe School Community Steering Group of the Safe School Community International Accrediting Programme (SSCIAP). The name has been chosen to reflect the fact that the Safe Schools concept emerged from the International Safe Communities Movement. It also reflects the international focus of safe schools and also its main activity, which is an accreditation process. However, it is acknowledged that for convenience, SSCIAP, is likely to be referred to as Safe Schools International. SCFNZ has an established track-record of utilising a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to all its community safety efforts. In its capacity as both an existing Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre and Certifying Centre of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion, the SCFNZ, has worked nationally and internationally on a range of injury issues: road safety, falls prevention, water safety, fire safety, suicide prevention, violence prevention, rural safety and alcohol and other drug misuse and has supported environmental changes, behavioural changes, legislation and advocacy to address a wide range of injury issues.

In its work with communities and schools SSCIAP will adopt an asset based community development approach. This involves focusing on strengths and successes rather that deficiencies and problems. Within an asset based community development approach, actions are driven and owned by the community (including schools) rather than an outside agency. As participation is essential, this creates ownership and empowerment. Such an approach is relevant for school settings internationally.

2) Provides a framework for promoting collective action which includes involvement with community networks.

Communities
The SCFNZ supports the New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy (NZIPS), launched in June 2003, which is an expression of the New Zealand Government’s commitment to working with organisations and groups in the wider community to improve the country’s injury prevention performance. SCFNZ staff have been instrumental in the development of NZIPS and its implementation plans. The NZIPS provides a strategic framework for injury prevention activity in New Zealand. The framework is a guide for action by a range of government agencies, local government, non-government organisations (such as the SCFNZ), communities and individuals. The SCFNZ by promoting the accreditation of Safe Communities geographically located throughout New Zealand will assist with achieving the NZIPS vision of: A safe New Zealand, becoming injury free and its goals of developing a positive safety culture and safe environments to be realised. SCFNZ staff have been involved in supporting the development of regional community injury prevention coalitions for the past 14 years.

Schools
SSCIAP, will establish an effective framework to support the work of individual schools and accrediting centres, internationally. A Safe School Community Steering Group has been established with responsibility for coordinating the work of SSCIAP. Each accrediting centre will have representation on the Safe School Community Steering Group, with SCFNZ currently having the responsibility for coordinating this group. Additionally, at all relevant Safe Community conferences, opportunities will be provided to further strengthen effective networking.

In its work to support the growth of safety within schools internationally, SSCIAP has developed an extensive network of collaborators from a range of countries including: Norway, Australia; Canada; Sweden; Korea; South Africa; America; Taiwan; Iran; China; and Bangkok. This network will keep in regular email contact providing support and sharing ideas. Members of SSCIAP, have already supported the designation of four school internationally and are currently supporting a further 10 schools to reach the criteria for designation. Additionally, SSCIAP and SCFNZ will also strengthen and support the creation of opportunities for contributing to the scientific basis and practice of school safety and injury prevention through its publications, interactions with government and non-government agencies, as well as the provision of training and resources to academics, policy-makers and practitioners.

3) Provides consultative support to communities & schools in the establishment of Safe Community initiatives.

Communities
SCFNZ staff have been involved in providing consultative advice and support to communities both within New Zealand and in Australia in relation to the Safe Community model. SCFNZ staff have provided extensive consultative support to 21 New Zealand communities who are all interested in either accreditation or the relevance of the Safe Communities model for their work. Other initiatives include but are not limited to:

 inclusion of the Safe Community model as part of the NZIPS;
 inclusion of the Safe Community model as an effective way to reduce the injury burden among policy-makers and practitioners through the publication of academic reports and articles;
 support for the further development of SafeKids initiatives;
 support for further development of Water Safety initiatives;
 support for the inclusion of intentional (suicide and violence) injury prevention;
 comparison of the relevance of the Safe Community model for the ACC Thinksafe Community initiatives;
 provision of relevant information related to workplace safety within community settings;
 inclusion of the relevance of the Safe Community model in presentations at regional, national and international conferences and workshops ;
 support for Australian community based injury prevention initiatives; and
 active membership of, and support for, the Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion based at the Karolinska Institutet and their associated Affiliate Support Centre networks for the past eight years.

Schools
Collectively, members of SSCIAP have demonstrated their outstanding ability in the past to provide consultative support to Safe Schools Internationally. This has involved providing strategic advice to the international network of safe communities in relation to its safe schools commitments. For example, Graeme Barber has been an educationalist for 35 years, with the last 16 as a Primary School Principal.

In its capacity as both an existing Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre and Certifying Centre of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion, the SCFNZ, has a well established sound reputation for its support of safe schools and encouragement of safe school initiatives. The Director of SCFNZ is already recognised internationally and nationally as a leader in this field and is often called upon to provide strategic advice and consultative support to schools embarking on their journey towards safe school accreditation.

4) Facilitates and supports community & school-based strategic planning processes.

Communities
SCFNZ staff have a long track-record of providing relevant injury data to support the evidence-based approach for community-based strategic planning for injury prevention and safety promotion. In addition to providing an analysis of injury data, SCFNZ staff also support communities in the interpretation and relevance of the data for their community strategic plans. Recent injury data reports can be downloaded from the SCFNZ website (www.safecommunities.org.nz). Other data reports can also be accessed from the IPRC website (www.auckland.ac.nz/ipc/). Additionally, SCFNZ staff provide:
 resources to promote best practice in community-based injury prevention and safety promotion programmes;
 networking opportunities both at local and national levels;
 strategic advice on community development;
 expertise in the conduct of evaluation; and
 encouragement for the appropriate documentation and dissemination of community-based initiatives.

Schools
Not only does SCFNZ provide effective tools and training for communities (including schools) to develop their own strategic safety plans, it also provides relevant data. For example, both school and community guidelines have been developed, data has been analysed and presented in a format accessible to the community, sample questionnaires have been developed to support the collection of baseline information, contributions have been made to the establishment of an injury prevention database, and an evaluation manual has been produced. At the international level, SCFNZ have contributed significantly to Safe Communities and Safe Schools. SCFNZ will use this experience to further inform SSCIAP.

5) Demonstrates leadership and stewardship in addressing priority injury issues, high risk, and vulnerable groups.

Communities
SCFNZ Director, Dr Carolyn Coggan is recognised both nationally and internationally as a leader with expertise in injury prevention and safety promotion. Dr Coggan was the Director of the IPRC, University of Auckland prior to establishing the SCFNZ. In this role, Dr Coggan was responsible for a programme of research to address injury prevention among the general population and within high risk ethnic groups. Within each of the communities that SCFNZ are working with injury data is provided to highlight the burden of injury among high risk groups and high risk areas. Additionally, evaluation findings from previously conducted community based injury prevention programmes are also provided to relevant groups to inform their strategic planning. As Dr Coggan was involved with leading these evaluations, she is well placed to further address safety promotion and injury prevention among high-risk groups.

Schools
Schools provide a unique opportunity for injury prevention messages in an environment conducive to learning. Schools are also an important part of the wider community. SSCIAP will provide leadership to ensure that an inclusive, cooperative, strong Safe School Community develops, that enhances the social, cultural, environmental and personal wellbeing of all its safe schools. It will also have mechanisms in place to support a focus on the needs of children from high risk communities. As with any international movement, the focus of SSCIAP will be determined by the collective input and priorities of member countries. The Director of SCFNZ is already recognised internationally and nationally as an effective leader in the field of community safety. SCFNZ, its director, staff and associates are committed to providing leadership and stewardship to support and guide Safe School Communities world wide.

6) Provides expert services and knowledge in the area of injury data and injury surveillance issues.

Communities
SCFNZ staff recognise that the provision of injury data is an essential tool for assessing the effects of community-based programmes. It is also vital for the identification of groups at high risk of injury within specific communities. Consequently, SCFNZ have provided injury profile reports to selected communities who have expressed a commitment in working towards Safe Community accreditation. The objectives of these reports are to: provide routinely collected baseline data which can be used to identify injury prevention related needs and issues for the community; provide routinely collected data on a ward-by-ward basis to enable identification of high risk local areas; collect data to enable comparisons over time; and ensure that the data is presented in a meaningful manner to assist in the development of a strategic plan for injury prevention for the community.

SCFNZ staff have not only conducted research to identify the determinants of injury but have facilitated the dissemination of relevant evidence on injury determinants to communities. For example, SCFNZ staff have conducted systemic reviews for specific types of injuries. The SCFNZ website also contains links to relevant websites to further facilitate dissemination of evidence based research and information on the injury burden.

Schools
The SCFNZ has an established reputation in the provision of expert services and knowledge in the area of injury data. Since its inception it has provided localised community data in a meaningful manner to assist in the development of strategic plans for injury prevention for the community. With regard to SSCIAP, the degree to which individual accrediting centres will be able to provide meaningful data to individual schools will be reliant on the quality of the national data services. While in New Zealand there is a high standard of injury data available, this is not always the case. SSCIAP as an international organisation is committed to working collaboratively to improve injury surveillance at local, national and international levels.

7) Demonstrates a long term commitment to supporting Safe Communities/Schools and the Safe Community Network within their organizations strategic plan.

Communities
The unique value of establishing the SCFNZ is the accreditation of communities currently engaged in safety promotion/injury prevention (and in some cases crime prevention and/or alcohol and other drug misuse) initiatives. An accreditation process provides, not only support for communities, but an indication of a level of achievement within the field of safety promotion and injury prevention. Although the SCFNZ has offices geographically located within the Auckland region, SCFNZ resources and staff will be available to support community groups, ACC and other government and non-government agencies/organizations, TLAs, industry and businesses throughout New Zealand to reach the standard for International accreditation. Additionally, SCFNZ is also an active member of the International Safe Communities Network and provides both leadership and support to this movement.

Schools
SCFNZ is a visible champion for the promotion of Safe Communities and Schools internationally and nationally. The SCFNZ was conferred as an Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre to the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety in March, 2005. In 2005, SCFNZ was also appointed as the first Affiliate Support Centre with Certifying Authority of International Safe Schools (ISS). In September 2005, the SCFNZ was conferred as the first Affiliate Support Centre to the International Safe Schools movement and in September 2005 SCFNZ was designated as a first Certifying Centre of the Safe Community Network. Additionally, SCFNZ has also secured the rights to distribute the NZ version of the Safe Communities Foundation of Canada’s successful Passport to Safety programme. The commitment of SCFNZ to Safe Communities and Safe School networks is well established and sustainable.

8) Supports those responsible at the community/school level to utilize appropriate indicators to evaluate community processes, effects of change and injury rates.

Communities
SCFNZ supports those responsible at the community level to utilise appropriate indicators to evaluate community processes, effects of change and injury rates by providing:
 comprehensive reports to communities seeking Safe Communities accreditation incorporating data from a range of relevant organisations; and
 presentations to community forums which include information relating to the use of scientific approaches to develop strategic plans, while at the same time, stressing the importance of process, impact and outcome evaluations for their injury prevention and safety promotion initiatives to facilitate programme management and delivery.
Additionally, SCFNZ current programme of research and evaluation encompasses major evaluations of injury prevention and safety promotion initiatives.

Schools
Prior to establishing the SCFNZ in December 2004, Dr Coggan was the Director of the Injury Prevention Research Centre, and an Associate Professor at the School of Population Health, University of Auckland. Her areas of research expertise include injury prevention, adolescent health, suicide prevention and the evaluation of community and school interventions. For the past 20 years she has worked towards combining community safety and injury prevention. Dr Coggan is a strong believer in providing evidence-based research and evaluation to inform the development of effective community and school strategies to improve health, safety and well-being. Communities and schools have provided positive feedback on the usefulness, clarity and appropriateness of the resources provided by SCFNZ. They consider that, because these resources are targeted to their individual communities or schools, they have been able to respond to community and school concerns and interests while still utilising a scientific approach.

As evident throughout this application, all those associated with SSCIAP have a commitment to the accrediting process, including, but not limited to, the systematic recording of communities and schools engaged in the designation process, the conduct of site visits, the recording of reports and original observations, preparation of designation certificates and plaques, and participation in designation ceremonies.

9) Disseminates their experiences both at national and international levels.

Communities
The SCFNZ staff have strongly supported the network of Safe Communities over the past 14 years at both international and national levels.

International Support: Dr Coggan has been an active member of the Affiliate Support Centre Safe Community Network and has attended many International Safe Community conferences and provided papers and keynote addresses. Dr Coggan has also been a member of the scientific advisory committee for the international injury prevention and control conferences on many occasions. She has also attended all national Australian Injury Prevention Conferences held so far. SCFNZ has also supported the designation and redesignation of several Australian Safe Communities and has participated in site visits and designation for Asian Safe Communities.

National Support: SCFNZ provides leadership and strategic advise to a wide range of government and non-government agencies to improve their community safety efforts. SCFNZ since being established has also supported the designation and redesignation of six New Zealand Safe Communities. They are also currently providing support to a further 18 Territorial Local Authorities that are engaged in the International Safe Community Model.

Schools
All members currently involved with the SSCIAP have established mechanisms for the dissemination of their safe school and safe communities experiences both nationally and internationally through presentations, conferences, meetings, peer review articles, newsletters, site visits and websites. In addition all accrediting centres of SSCIAP have a responsibility to provide reports to the Safe School Community Steering Group. The Steering Group then has the responsibility to ensure that all dissemination processes are respectful and transparent. The Steering Group is also responsible for maintaining liaison and links with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion.

Members of SSCIAP will also be offering training sessions at relevant conferences to ensure that experiences are shared between individual schools and accrediting centres. Additionally, the SSCIAP website (www.safeschoolciap.org) will be available for dissemination of experiences, initiatives developed, and successes and will provide a link to other relevant organisations/groups. As SSCIAP continues to grow, the focus will increasingly be on peer-reviewed scientific publications in various journals.

10) Reports on their Safe Community/School activities and research efforts.

Communities
The SCFNZ supports accessible and systematic dissemination of relevant knowledge and experience in injury prevention and safety promotion. SCFNZ has adopted an open and transparent approach to the dissemination of information related to injury prevention and safety promotion. Additionally all existing international and national networks of SCFNZ Trustees, Director and staff are used, to ensure that the services offered by the SCFNZ are widely known.

Schools
SCFNZ anticipates that the SSCIAP steering group activities will include, but not be limited to the following: development of website; reviewing core beliefs, principles and criteria; creating resources including standardised flags and plaques; maintaining liaison and links with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion; monitoring consistency; providing advice and support to accrediting centres; raising awareness both nationally and internationally of the value of SSCIAP; and increasing the number of accredited Safe School Communities world wide. Additionally, it is anticipated that research activities will include, but not be limited to the following: case studies of successes and barriers to achieving SSCIAP; individual and aggregated safe schools international data; and evaluation of the benefits to schools of achieving SSCIAP status.

Publications (selected examples provided below):

Coggan C. & Gabites L. Safety and Local Government - Partnerships and Collaboration: How to find all those intersections and do something about it. Social Policy Journal of New Zealand. 2007. In Press.

Coggan C, Peters T, Patterson P. Guidelines for Conducting Evaluations. Auckland: Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, 2007.

Beautrais A.L, Fergusson D.M., Baxter. J., Coggan C. Advancing the Action Plan. Working Paper 2. The role and Contribution to Suicide Prevention Policy of Restricting Access to Methods. New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2007;120 (1251): 1-13.

Nilsen P, Bourne M, Coggan C. Using local injury surveillance for community-based injury prevention: an analysis of Scandinavian WHO Safe Community and Canadian Safe Community Foundation programmes. International Journal for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion. 2007; 14(1): 35-43.

Read John, McGregor Kim, Coggan Carolyn, Thomas David R. Mental Health Services and Sexual Abuse: the Need for Staff Training. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 2006; 7(1):33-50.

Sheridan J, Bennett S, Coggan C, Wheeler A, McMillan K. Injury Associated with Methamphetamine Use: A review of the Literature. Harm Reduction Journal. 2006; 3(1):14-21.

Coggan C, Fill J, Williden M. New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy Formative Evaluation Baseline Organisational Survey. Auckland: Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, 2005.

Coggan, C, Lee M, Patterson P. New Plymouth Injury Data ACC ThinkSafe Report. Auckland: Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, 2005.

Coggan, C, Lee M, Peters T. Wellington City Injury Data ACC ThinkSafe Report. Auckland: Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, 2005.

Coggan C, McKay J. Dissemination of examples of improvements in collaboration and co-ordination of injury prevention across a variety of settings. Auckland: Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, 2005.

Brewin M, Coggan C. Evaluation of the Ngati Porou Community Injury Prevention Project. Ethnicity and Health. 2004; 9(1).

Butler M, Kerse N, Coggan C. The experiences of staff concerning the introduction and impact of a fall prevention intervention in aged care facilities. Australasian Journal on Ageing. 2004; 22(4): 218-221.

Coggan C, Bennett S. Community Based Injury Prevention Programmes. Chapter 22. In R McClure R et al (Eds), The Scientific Basis of Injury Prevention and Control. East Hawthorn, Vic :IP Communications, 2004.

Coggan C, Bennett S, Lee M, Patterson P. Drowning in New Zealand: A study of mortality and morbidity data for all ages. Auckland: Injury Prevention Research Centre, 2004.

Coggan C, Bennett S, Patterson P, Borne H. The ACC ThinkSafe Community Projects: Formative Evaluation. Auckland: Injury Prevention Research Centre, 2003.

Coggan C, Peters T, Dickinson P, Brewin M, Bennett S, Borne H. THINKSAFE Injury Prevention Resources for Schools. Wellington: ACC. 2003.

Hooper R, Coggan C, Adams P. Injury Prevention Attitudes and Awareness in New Zealand. Injury Prevention. 2003; 9:42-47.

Coggan C, Bennett S, Hooper R, Lovell C. Auckland City Community Profile: Opportunities for Promoting a Safety Culture. Auckland: Injury Prevention Research Centre, 2002.

Coggan C, Hooper R, Adams B. Self-reported injury rates in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 2002; 115(1161): On-line http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal.

Coggan C., Bennett S, Hooper R. Whangarei District Community Profile: Opportunities for Promoting a Safety Culture. Auckland: Injury Prevention Research Centre, 2001.

Coggan C, Patterson P, Brewin M, Hooper R, Robinson E. Evaluation of the Waitakere Community Injury Prevention Project. Injury Prevention, 2000; 6(1):130-134.

Information material:

An annual report on the achievements of the SCFNZ will be provided to the WHO Collaborating Centre on Safety Promotion. A website (with appropriate links) to allow for the downloading of all materials produced by the SCFNZ has been developed (www.safecommunities.org.nz). The SCFNZ website (www.safecommunities.org.nz) is widely promoted at all community forums as well as being promoted in all SCFNZ fact sheets, reports and pamphlets. This has resulted in many visits to the SCFNZ website (www.safecommunities.org.nz).

SCFNZ staff have also developed factsheets which describe the injury burden and the criteria, processes and advantages of Safe Communities accreditation. Factsheets have been widely disseminated throughout New Zealand and copies are able to be downloaded from the SCFNZ website (www.safecommunities.org.nz).
In addition SCFNZ staff have developed ‘A Guideline for Safe Communities in New Zealand’ (www.safecommunities.org.nz).

As demonstrated throughout this document SCFNZ adopts an open and transparent approach to the dissemination of information related to injury prevention and safety promotion at local, national and international levels.