The program covers the following safety promotion activities:
For the age group
Children 0 –14 years:
Playground safety, bicycle safety, SCIP (school committees for injury prevention), sport
safety, safety travelling to and from school, Safety House (safety walking home from
school – stranger danger), identifying perceptions through surveys, pedestrian
safety.
Youth 15 –24 years:
Youth recreation, graffiti prevention, safety in public places, identifying perceptions
through surveys.
Adults 25 –64 years:
Safety in public places, pedestrian safety, workplace safety.
Elderly 65+:
Falls prevention, pedestrian safety, safety in public places, peer support programs.
At the following environments:
Home: children, elderly.
Traffic: children, elderly, general public.
Occupational: Local business (Ryde Business Forum), main local industry.
School: children (playgrounds), stranger danger, pedestrian safety.
Sports: Children and youth (local sporting clubs).
Leisure: Children, youth, elderly (shopping centres, falls in public places),
safety in public places – assaults etc, environmental safety audits.
Violence prevention:
Safety in public places (criminal assaults, perceptions of crime, graffiti etc).
Suicide prevention:
Programs aiming at “High risk –group”:
Elderly:– preventing falls, safety in public places, pedestrian safety.
Children: - pedestrian safety, preventing falls in the playground, safety in
public places (assaults, stranger danger).
Youth Bike Safety Promotion course in Ryde
Surveillance of injuries:
Public Health Unit, Ryde Hospital, RTA, Ryde Council (community surveys), Kidsafe
(children's injuries), Police (crime statistics), (An Injury Profile of the Ryde Local
Government Area is currently being prepared by Macquarie University).
Numbers per year:
Approximately 190,000 hospital admissions for injury among Northern Sydney residents.
This represented 9% and 6 % of all male and female hospital admissions respectively. Falls
were the single most common reason for injury hospitalisation overall, and represented a
major problem among children (under 15) and the elderly (65+). Motor vehicle accidents
were an important cause of hospitalisation for male and female residents in the 15
–24 age group.
Population base: 739,120 (Northern Sydney Area Health Service)
Started year: 1995 - 1996
Publications:
Conference papers –
Paper presented at the 2nd National Conference on Injury Prevention and Control held in
Melbourne Australia (February 19 –21, 1998).
Papers presented for Chinese Delegations hosted by Northern Sydney
Paper presented at Safe Comm – 7 Conference held in Rotterdam (May 13 –15,
1998).
Ryde Safe Communities Reports –
Ryde Safe Communities Progress Reports (1996, 1997)
Ryde Safe Communities Newsletter (3 issues)
Safety Audit Reports
A Process Evaluation of the Ryde Safe Communities Project is currently being conducted. A
report will be available by the end of 1998.
Produced information material, pamphlets: pedestrian safety brochure, Preventing
Falls in the Community (Resource Kit), Community Safety Checklist, Pedestrian Safety
(refrigerator magnets), Ryde Safe Communities update reports, Ryde Safe Communities
Newsletter, media articles, Mayor's column in local papers, recommendations to Standards
Australia regarding slippery surfaces
International commitments:
Study visits:
Participation in Safe Community conferences:
5th International Conference on Safe Communities, Melbourne Australia (February 1996),
Third International Conference on Injury Prevention and Control (February 18 –21,
1996)
Paper presented at the 7th International Conference on Safe Communities in Rotterdam
(May 13 –15, 1998)
Hosting “travelling Seminars”: 8th World Health Organisation
Travelling Seminar hosted by Northern Sydney Area Health Promotion – February 1996
Staff:
Number: Project Officer
Professions: part –time (4 days per week)
Permanent:
Temporary: funding confirmed until June 1999
Organisation: Ryde Safe Communities is made up of representatives from Health,
Council, Police, Roads and Traffic Authority, State Government, NRMA (road service and
insurance company), Community Organisations, Service Organisations eg Retired Servicemen
Club
General public health/health promotion group:
Represented by the organisations listed above
For further information contact:
Adam Craig B. Health Science, MPH
Health Promotion Officer
Ryde Safe Communities
Northern Sydney Area Health Service
37 Fourth Ave.
Eastwood NSW 2122
Australia
Tel: +61 (0)2 9858 7750
Fax: +61 (0)2 9858 7963
acraig@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
Copyright © 1999-2000 Dept. of Public Health Sciences.
