Safe Community Skövde

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Skövde

Country: Sweden

Number of inhabitants: 50.000

Programme started year: 1988

Infernational Safe Communities Network Membership:
Designation year: 1996

Redesignation year: 2007

Programme. www.skovde.se

The Safe Community Programmes covers the following safety promotion areas:

• Child Safety

• Senior Safety

• Road Safety

• Violence and Crime Prevention

• Safe Sound Levels

• Occupational Safety

• Sports Injury Prevention

• Vulnerable and High-risk Group Safety

• Public Safety

• Documentation of Frequency and Cause of Injuries

• International Seminars

As programmes often overlap there is extensive cooperation within projects between municipal departments and with national and regional administrations and non-profit associations.

Child Safety Programme

The Child Safety Programme is mainly integrated into the regular activities of the School Department.

Child safety 0 – 5 years

•  Information on alcohol and drugs to mothers-to-be in maternity check up clinics within the regional health care system.
• Information on alcohol and drugs to mothers-to-be on local TV advertising spots.
• “Infant and child development clinics”, within the regional health care system, continually offers relevant child safety/injury prevention information to all parents. Topics include burns, scaldings, falls, poisonings, bike helmets and safety in cars. 

Child safety 0 – 15 years

• “Safe Sound Levels” - Programme
• Injury report form, based on analysis of injury statistics, is used in all schools/preschools.
• Playgrounds in all preschools/schools are adapted for physically disabled children.
• Swimming classes for all children in year four.
• Safe school environment programme in three areas:
• Safe schoolyards – injury hazards should be eliminated.
• Prevention of bullying programme – according to law.
• Safety in chemistry classrooms – according to work environment law
• “Risk management”, age appropriate, environment adapted, in all schools/preschools. Includes recommended roads for walking/biking to school. Biking to school forbidden for younger pupils and helmets are required when biking. Risk analysis before outings and special occasions.
• “Walking School Bus” – an innovative child safety project for schoolchildren in year one to three. Families take turns to walk the children to school. They follow a specified route, picking up other waiting children along the way and a walking school bus is formed.
• Security Inspection in school environment by school management and a pupil ombudsman.
• “Working with a theme” – One week in year seven and year nine exclusively on health and environmental issues.
• Health Promotion in School – a local network for schools in liaison with the National Centre for Promoting Good Health among Children and Youth (NCFF). The network arranges activities and seminars, locally for students and both locally and regionally for people working with schoolchildren. Each year focussing on a different theme.
• Theme of 2006 is “Overweight children in primary and secondary school”
• A NCFF seminar, “The Interaction Between Good Health, Physical Activity, Good Eating Habits and Learning”, is held in Skövde in September 2006.
• Girl Spot” – a seminar day on self-confidence, drugs and other relevant issues for all girls in year eight.

Children 12 – 24

• “Safe Sound Levels” - Programme
• “Youth Fair in Skaraborg” held every year in liaison with and alternating between Skövde and three neighbouring communities. Skövde hosted the fair 2004 under the theme –“Lifestyle”.
• Drug Prevention Policy Programme (Alcohol – Narcotics – Tobacco) involving School Department, Education Dept., Social Services Dept., Leisure and Recreation Dept. and Cultural Affairs Dept. in liaison with the police, the Swedish Road Administration and parent associations.
• End of School Night – Arrangement for safe celebration for school leavers
• Safe Party Kit – distributed during local events and information campaigns to youth.
• Youth Recreation Centres
• Visit to the local Youth Clinic for all students in year seven. Information about the clinic’s services and safe sex.
• “Don’t Drink & Drive” in liaison with Swedish Road Administration. Includes film, brochure, poster and rear window streamers. Target groups are high school and college students and the military service.

Senior Safety Programme

The Senior Safety Programme is mainly integrated into the regular activities of the Social Services Department.

• Surveys of falling incidents to analyse when, where, how and outcome of fall incidents.
• Adjustment of home environment and installation of aid such as handles by the bed and wristband telephone alarm.
• Senior Care Plan - risk analysis according to manual, reporting fall incidents and measures taken
• Information lectures for Senior’s Organisations on prevention of fall accidents.
• Lectures for families, as care givers to elderly family members
• Senior Fair – “Joy of Life” organised in liaison with Red Cross and organisations for old-age pensioner
• Project for developing qualifications for staff in senior care starting autumn 2006 including injury preventive work.
• “Mr. Fixit ” programme (Fixar-Malte) for minor repairs, affecting safety and health, is available for all residents over 65 years of age. The service includes installation of hooks, pictures, curtain rods, curtains and smoke detectors.
• A seminar for senior citizens on fall prevention, medication, and related risks will be held for the first time in the autumn 2006.
• The local Senior’s Organisations are very active and regularly arrange health promoting physical activities.

Road Safety Programme

The Road Safety programme is mainly integrated into the regular activities of the Public Works Department, Technical Department. The Technical office cooperates with the Traffic Safety Council (LOTS), constituted by about thirty non-profit associations; the police and the CUSTOM project. The programme is based on the National Road Administration Programme “Zero Vision”. Zero Vision was developed in 1997 to minimize numbers of seriously injured and casualties. A coordinator (CUSTOM project) is working part time with attitude, risk behaviour and consciousness-raising of causes and effects. This work is primarily focussing on schoolchildren and their parents in liaison with the Schools Committee. The Public Works Department, Technical Office, is primarily working with creating a safe and environmentally sound street and road transport system in the Municipality. Issues on drugs and traffic are coordinated with the Alcohol and Drug Policy Programme.

Activities for children and youth

• “Road and Traffic Information Day” frequently recurring in schools, during sports events, tournaments and other leisure events on a number of issues such as biking, helmet, road signs, first aid, seeing pedestrians in the dark exercises, handing out reflectors, car safety – safety belts and more.
• Handing out fluorescent safety vests in school year 1 - 6
• Showing the film “Länge leve livet” (Long Live Life) in high school about the events leading up to a traffic accident.
• “Don’t Drink & Drive” activities see Drug Programme
• All school buses in Skövde Municipality must from 2006 be equipped with three-point safety belts and a breathalyzer ignition interlock device. Special training is mandatory for all school bus drivers.

Activities for all residents

• Road Safety Day – a recurring information activity during local events and at the local shopping centre. Issues are wildlife, effects of car crashes at different speed, dangerous goods and first aid and more.
• Safety Belt Campaign – one week every year, counting belt users.
• Bike Week – yearly information on helmets, counting bikers and helmets
• Biking/Walking to Work - a yearly campaign and a competition of highest mileage walked /biked to/from work.
• Digital Safety Display – portable road safety sign used periodically on different locations within the community. The display informs drivers and community of speed behaviour. Results are analysed and used in Public Works Department planning.

Violence and Crime Prevention - Programme

• Documentation and analysis of violence and crime statistics
• Safety and Security (Säkerhet och trygghet) information link for residents at Skövde’s home page www.skovde.se.
• Crime Can Be Prevented – brochure for public distribution
• Street lights all night and better lighting in parks and parking lots.
• Safe in the City - the local Crime Prevention Council (BRÅSK) constituted by representatives from the municipal board, the police, local businesses and a number of non-profit associations. The licensed alcohol beverage server is responsible for his/her conduct in serving alcohol. Project includes training of staff in “Responsible Handling of Alcohol”. Refusing service and denying entrance to visibly intoxicated persons and handling of discontented intoxicated customers.
• Witness support, education of witness supporters.
• Zero tolerance of graffiti.
• Seminars on crime prevention in the public environment.
• Neighbourhood Network - crime watch
• Support for threatened/battered women, sheltered housing for women and children.

Safe Sound Levels - Programme

A policy programme was taken in 2000 to prevent tinnitus and hearing loss as a result of unsafe sound levels.

• The first project was launched 2001. “Safe Sound Levels in Child and Youth Environments”. The project worked with the School Committee, non-profit associations and commercial actors to minimise victims of unsafe sound levels in Skövde. Identifying high-risk environments and using sound level meters in target premises and restaurants. The objective was to use information and consciousness-raising on the effects of unsafe sound levels, dialogue and if necessary fining (for not abiding laws on exposing people to possible health hazards) to lower sound levels.

• The second project starts late 2006. “Safe Sound Levels in Preschool” is a pilot project where two preschools are involved in a process to find a pedagogical structure and methods for lowering sound levels. Sound level meters will be used before, during and after the project is over. The structure and methods thus developed are to be implemented and applied in all Skövde preschools.

Occupational Safety Programme

• International conference Safe Community - Safe Industry. See International Seminars.
• “Attractive Workplace” is a competition where the body of employees submit a motivation for their workplace as the most attractive workplace. A seminar is held where the winner describes their work to improve the workplace.

Programme for Sports and Injury Prevention

Inspection/maintenance of sports facilities run by Skövde municipality

Education of leaders and coaches in sports clubs on injury prevention and first aid

Facility for injury preventive training, adapted for the physically disabled

Programmes not elsewhere included

• “Report the Injury Hazards” – Via phone or Internet service for the public.
• “Physical Activity Prescription” – Skövde Rehab Centre in liaison with local health facilities prescribing appropriate physical activity for the clients.
• ”Health Promotion and Nature Day”. A day in the forest for the public, all ages. Annually held in liaison with the national Public Health Committee and The Swedish Forest Agency. All municipal departments, local non-profit associations and voluntary organisations, working with public health in any way, participate this day.

Programme for Vulnerable Groups

“Södra Ryd” Social Integration Programme

This project for the Södra Ryd section of Skövde started in 2000 and is still running. A manager was recruited to operate the project. The aim is to level out health differences from socioeconomic status, risk behaviour and health care. The project tries to answer the question: How do we create a supportive environment for people to make the choices that promotes health? Children and youth are prioritised. Much effort is made on involving the residents, represented by the existing religious and/or ethnic, and other non-profit, organisations in the form of a local council. Meaningful occupation and meeting places for the residents are crucial. When rebuilding of the area centre was planned, residents were consulted concerning the physical planning to increase resident influence in the community. The project has recently been taken over by Cooperative Development Centre Skaraborg but with continued funding by Skövde municipality. Lately work is focusing on social economy.

Emergency Services put out a fire in Skövde, Sweden

Drug Prevention Policy Programme 

There is a strong connection between the use of alcohol, and drugs, and accidents and injuries. The work with this programme started in 2002 and is directed by a municipal board committee. The committee consists of representatives from the municipal board, from relevant municipal committees, primary health care, and the municipal Public Health Council and Public Health Unit. A coordinator was hired in 2002 to work with the locally developed Drug Policy Programme based on a local survey of drug use in school year nine. Promotion work among children and youth is the primary focus of the programme. The coordinator has active collaboration with the School Department and schools, relevant Municipal departments, police, non-profit organisations, the medical service and other actors.

Activities are:

• “Don’t Drink & Drive” in liaison with The Swedish Road Administration. Film shows, brochures, streamers, contests, posters and a mobile exhibition in a trailer about the risk involved in drunk driving.
• ANT-programme in school (Alcohol, Narcotics and Tobacco). Age appropriate education and activities aimed at influencing patterns of behaviour and opinion. This starts in year five and continues every year through high school.
• “Seeing – and Caring” Study groups for parents to children in year seven.
• Information campaigns at football (soccer) tournaments, Skövde outdoors “Restaurant Festival” and other activities.
• “Locus” a non-institutional care service for youth with alcohol and drug related problems: Locus is also developing methods for reaching young people with risk behaviour.
• “SANT” a contract for 11 – 16 year olds to sign together with parent. The contract states that for the following year the signing child will not use tobacco, alcohol or any drugs and not shoplift or vandalise. Contractors gets a card which gives various benefits like special offers in local shops and establishments and automatically takes part in lotteries with prices given by local businesses.
• “The Fire Escape”. To create discussion within families a film about drugs and alcohol among young people is shown to all year nine school children and all high school students as well as parents.
• “Love Power” activities during the yearly Restaurant Festival including Safe Party Kit and “Blow Green” a breathalyser test taken twice during the evening which functions as a token in a lottery with attractive prices given by local businessmen.
• “The Gangs Last Night Out”. Drug and alcohol free celebration of end of school for 15 and 16 year olds.
• “Örebro Prevention Programme” Drug preventive programme for teenage school children and their parents.
• “Night walkers”. Parent association for walking the streets during weekend evenings or special events evenings to provide adult contacts for teenagers and as a stabilising factor, not leaving the evening and night streets to children and teenagers.

Programme for documentation of injuries and causes of injuries

• Recurring surveys of falls among elderly in care with analysis of injuries and causes
• Statistics every year from the police on crime and violence in Skövde
• Municipal profile – every fourth year is a public health profile compiled aiming to describe the health and welfare of the residents.
• Continuous and through statistics on injury causes is compiled by the Västra Götaland Region since 1998.

Safe Community Project

Skövde is taking part in a development project for Safe Communities in the Baltic region. All Safe Communities and their respective programmes are to be presented in a special database. After completion the database will be maintained by the SRSA (Swedish Rescue Services Agency)

International seminars

 International conference Safe Community - Safe Industry arranged in Skövde 2004 for a development of collaboration in the Baltic Sea region on Safe Industry.

email Hakan Elwer

Copyright © 1999-2000 Dept. of Public Health Sciences.

Updated by Moa Sundström, 2002-10-29 14:39 .