This approach to safety promotion and injury prevention encourages greater cooperation and collaboration between non-government organisations, the business sector, central and local government agencies, and creatively mobilises local community members to action. The International Safe Communities model creates an infrastructure in local communities for addressing injury prevention initiatives through the building of local partnerships. It is a programme that was initiated in Sweden by the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion  at the Karolinska Institute for Social Medicine  (www.phs.ki.se/csp ).

Criteria:  International Safe Community

In order to be designated as a  Safe Community, of the International Safe Community Network. communities are required to meet the following seven criteria:

1. An infrastructure based on partnership and collaborations, governed by a cross-sectional group that is responsible for safety promotion in their community.
2. Long-term, sustainable programmes covering both genders and all ages, environments, and situations.
3. Programmes that target high-risk groups and environments, and programmes that promote safety for vulnerable groups.
4. Programmes based on the available evidence.
5. Programmes that document the frequency and causes of injuries.
6. Evaluation measures to assess programmes, processes and effects of changes.
7. Ongoing participation in national and international Safe Communities networks.

It is recommended that New Zealand communities wishing to apply for accreditation as a safe community contact the Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand (SCFNZ) contact@scfnz.org

Process:  International Safe Community

The process for designation as a Safe Community includes a letter of intent, written application, and a site visit. When a community considers it has achieved the above criteria they should apply to SCFNZ.  The process includes:

• Letter of intent, signed by the mayor.
• Application fee ($5000 NZ dollars+ GST) paid to SCFNZ. The application fee covers travel and accomodation costs associated with site visits, and designation ceremony (including the provision of a flag and plaque) and the international peer review process.
• Community Outline/Internet Summary (see attachment information sheet).
• An application describing the safety promotion/injury prevention activities in the “community” organised around each of the seven criteria. Applicants need to describe/define the “communities” they are working with, in the context of their own environment. No universal definition is implied by the use of the word “community” within the criteria, but mostly it has been applied to a geographical area. SCFNZ is available to support communities as they develop this application.

Send five hard copies includling all appendices of which one is to be unbound and one electronic copy (including appendices) of the application to:

Dr Carolyn Coggan, Director
Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand
Box 331399, Takapuna,
North Shore 0740
coggan@scfnz.org

Applications should be addressed to:
Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand, Certifying Centre of the WHO Safe Community Network

The application for membership to become a  Safe Community of the International Safe Community Network has to be lodged at least six weeks before a site visit can be arranged. It is advisable to submit your community outline/internet summary early on in the ISC process. This internet summary is hosted on both  the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety and SCFNZ webpage. Please note that your application will be internationally peer reviewed through SCFNZ.

Site Visit:  International Safe Community

Once the above paper review is completed and standard achieved.  Representatives from SCFNZ will make the on-site visit (usually 1 day) to review your programme and application, arranged at a time mutually suitable to both your community and the Certifying Centre.  Emphasis is given to how your community has achieved each of the seven criteria and needs to include:

• a meeting with the cross-sectional group that is responsible for the safety promotion/injury prevention programme in your community; and
• a field visit with community groups/agencies that are responsible for initiatives and other relevant activities relating to injury prevention and safety promotion in your community.

Designation:  International Safe Community

Once all the above have been satisfactorily completed, a designation ceremony is arranged at a time and place suitable to both your community and the Certifying Centre representative.  In addition, to the requirement specified by the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Promotion, the group also needs to agree to: make an announcement celebrating their designation. After receiving designation, the designated community work with SCFNZ staff as part of their ongoing commitment to the international and national safe communities network; and complete the ISC annual report activites template, that are hosted on the SCFNZ and Karolinska webites.