Country: Australia, State of Victoria
Number of inhabitants: 159,000
Programme started year: 1991
International safe Community Network Membership: Designation year: 1994 Redesignation: 2006
www.hume.vic.gov.au

For further information contact:
Name: Denise Shearer, Community Safety Manager
Institution: Hume City Council
Address: PO Box 119 Dallas
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia
Phone (country code included): +613 9205 2561 Fax: +613 9309 0109
E-mail: denises@hume.vic.govt.au
www.hume.vic.gov.au 

The programme covers the following safety promotion activities:
For the age group :                         

• Children 0-14 years
  -        Water Safety Together was an intensive two week learn-to-swim course  targeting newly arrived non-English speaking children .The program won a Play It Safe by the Water, Water Safety Education Award from the Victorian Aquatic Industry Council in 2005.
  -        The Children’s Safety Program delivers messages to expectant parents, new parents, and young children and their families through a range of methods including 50 children’s safety training sessions for community groups per year.
  -        The Community Asthma Project provides asthma education and support for young people suffering from asthma & their families. Asthma is one of the leading community health issues in Hume City for young people.
  -        The Walking Bus program is perfect in communicating the road safety message to primary school-aged children. Children walk to school in groups supervised by volunteers. The program offers healthy exercise for children, safe routes to school, and reduces traffic hazards and congestion around schools.
• Youth 15-24 years:
  -        Hume’s Road Safety Grants program partners with 14 local secondary schools and three special schools in preparing senior students as road users. Young people are the highest risk group on the roads in Hume, as drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. The program empowers them to make better decisions for their safety.
  -        Drive 120—the first program of its kind in Victoria—is a Sunbury Rotary initiative in partnership with the Transport Accident Corporation, RoadSafe North Western and the Sunbury Police. It encourages learner drivers to have 120 hours of behind-the-wheel-supervised experience in as many different conditions as possible. Hume City Council has provided a car for use in the program.
• Adults 25-64 years:
  -        Safety Together is a booklet published in five different languages providing tips on safety in the home, the neighbourhood, on the road, at school, at work and in sport. The booklet was distributed to all households in 2004 and published in partnership with Victoria Police.
  -        A Pool Safety Audit was conducted in the summer of 2004/2005 involving 121 private residences. After an average of three consecutive visits, 71% or property owners achieved compliance.
  -        As part of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Service Strategy, a Research Report was published that identified a low service levels in the City and difficulties the community face in accessing relevant services. Subsequent strategies have been developed, and more accessible local service provision has been achieved.
  -        Hume developed a Tobacco Reduction Strategy for Hume that is being implemented in partnership with service agencies. The strategy focuses on addressing smoking issues for Young people, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities and Indigenous people.
  -        A Health Summit was held in July 2006, organised by Council and local agencies that helped inform the development of Council’s new Municipal Public Health Plan. The Plan identified safety as a health priority. 
• Older Adults 65+ years:
  -        An Older Persons Transport Safety Forum was held for older residents, those with a disability, and those wanting safety tips when driving, using a motorised scooter or travelling by public transport.
  -        Seniors groups provided with information on falls prevention and related seniors’ services offered by Council and local community health centres. A Falls Prevention booklet was developed in 2003, promoting home safety. Over 1000 copies were distributed within the local community.
  -        Other forums included a Confident Living Seminar and a Falls Prevention information session—providing useful information on home safety and avoiding common home hazards. A Falls Prevention booklet was developed in 2003 and 1000 copies distributed to the community

In the Following Environments:

• Home:
  -        Programmes include those targeted at Hume’s culturally and linguistically (CALD) diverse communities, first time parents and older residents.
  -        The Safety Together booklet is published in five community languages—English, Arabic, Assyrian, Vietnamese and Turkish.  These are the most commonly spoken community languages in Hume.  The booklet provide tips on staying safe at home, work, school, on the road, in the neighbourhood, and when participating in sport.
  -        Children’s Safety information is promoted widely and through a number of forums—the Maternal and Child Health Service, community health organisations and parents’ groups.  This information includes an award winning Child Safety DVD, child restraint details, brochures, booklets and posters.
  -        Promoting home safety to older residents is crucial to ensuring residents enjoy a healthy and independent lifestyle.  Tips on home safety do’s and don’t’s, including brochures and seminars, are welcomed.
•  Traffic:
  -        Staying safe on Hume’s roads is a cornerstone of two Road Safety Strategic Plans, published in 2003 and 2005.  The aim of the Road Safety Plan is to reduce accidents through: legislation (state and local laws), education and commonsense solutions.
  -        Educating road users is a priority of Council.  Hume’s Road Safety Grants program works with 14 local secondary schools and three special schools in preparing senior students as road users.  The Drive 120 encourages learner drivers to have 120 hours of behind-the-wheel-supervised experience in diverse driving conditions.  Hume City Council has provided a car for use in the program.
• Occupational:
  -        Council employs dedicated Occupational Health and Safety officers to promote the work safety message.  They undertake Council-wide safety audits, establish hazard notification procedures and regularly communicate safety via internal publications.
  -        Council has engaged the small business sector in Hume with programs such as the Small Business Safety Project and the Workplace Community Safety project. Both these programs emphasise the importance of hazard identification and simple solutions to improving safety.
• School:
  -        Hume’s Road Safety Grants program partners with 14 local secondary schools and three special schools in preparing senior students as road users.  Young people are the highest risk group on the roads in Hume, as drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.  The program empowers them to make better decisions for their safety.
  -        Student action teams established in 10 secondary schools
  -        The Walking Bus program involves children walking to school in groups supervised by volunteers.  The program offers healthy exercise for children, safe routes to school, and reduces traffic hazards and congestion around schools.  It has proven to be a great tool in communicating the road safety message to primary school-aged children.
• Sports:
  -        Safety is paramount at Council’s gymnasiums and sporting facilities. Posters and signs remind users how equipment is to be used and what gear (e.g. joggers, protective equipment) should be worn—thus ensuring maximum safety.
  -        First-time gym users are instructed in the use of equipment and execution of exercises by certified Gym instructors, ensuring their personal safety and minimising risk of injury.
  -        The Living Longer, Living Stronger program is a gym program for older residents conducted by qualified gym staff. A participant’s aerobic and anaerobic capacity is analysed and a program devised accordingly. This ensures a participant has fun on the program while staying safe.
• Leisure:
  -        FREEZA youth events are Victorian Government sponsored and Council run music shows that emphasise a drug and alcohol free message. Unsigned bands play to live audiences in their local community, gaining exposure and new fans. As alcohol, cigarettes and other substances are prohibited, music fans can enjoy the show in safety and parents can have peace of mind knowing their children are in a supervised environment.
• Other:
  -        Hume is culturally and linguistically diverse, comprising numerous community groups. To gauge the needs and concerns of these communities, Council coordinates a Multicultural Issues Forum. This is an opportunity for members of CALD groups to raise issues of concern—sometimes through interpreters. Issues have included safety; this has allowed Council to note their concerns and plan accordingly (see Safety Together booklet, published in five community languages).

 Violence prevention (intentional injuries):

-        Hume hosted a domestic violence forum titled Women Standing Strong
-        Council formally adopted the following statement in 2004: “Hume City Council undertakes to support and protect the rights of women and children to live free of domestic violence in our community

Suicide prevention (self-inflected injuries):

-        Hume Social Justice & Safe City Taskforce

Programmes aiming at “High risk-groups”:

-        Hume City Council programs are underpinned by two social documents—the Hume Social Justice Charter and Hume Citizens’ Bill of Rights. These strategic documents require Council to consider at risk community groups when developing programs and how they could benefit these groups.

Surveillance of injuries:   Where?

-        Numbers per year: 6,085 Emergency department presentations annually
-        Population base: 159,000
-        Started year: 1989

Produced information material, pamphlets:

-        Safety Together Guide Booklet
-        Guide To Baby Safety DVD
-        Baby Safety Made Easy Video
-        Water Safety Together Posters and Brochures
-        Social Justice Charter & Hume Citizens’ Bill of Rights
-        Valuing Young Peoples Voices, Youth Survey
-        Falls Prevention Booklet

Staff                                                         

-        Number: 4
-        Professions: part-time or full-time: 4
-        Permanent: 3
-        Temporary: 1
-        Organization: Hume City Council – Local Government
-        Specific intersectoral leadership group: Hume Social Justice & Safe City Taskforce
-        General public health/health promotion group: Hume Social Justice & Safe City Taskforce

International commitments:

-        Participation in Safe Community conferences:     Falkoping, Fort Mc Murray, Hume/La Trobe.
-        Hosting Safe Community Conferences:     Safecomm5 1996
-        Hosting “Travelling Seminars”:     hosted 8th (comprising 3rd International Conference/Safecomm5/Noarlunga/NSW-Parkes).