Whanganui is the 18th ISC in New Zealand and 222nd in the world. Safe Community programme outline, Application received July 2010, Site Visit August 2010, Designation Ceremony 19th November 2010.

Country: New Zealand
Number of inhabitants: 42,636 (2006 Census)
Programme started year: 2007
International Safe Communities Network Membership: 2010
Info address on the Programme: http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/my-community/making-things-happen/planning/territorial-local-authorities/safe-communities/index.html   
Full application available: submitting July 2010
 

For further information contact:
Name: Charmaine Matiaha
Position: Safer Wanganui Coordinator
Institution: Whanganui District Council
Address: PO Box 637
City: Whanganui 4500
Country: New Zealand
Phone 64 6 349 0001  Mob: 0274464207
E-mail: charmaine.matiaha@wanganui.govt.nz
www.wanganui.govt.nz

For the age group

• Children 0-14 years:
  Young Cyclist of the Year
  Child restraint checking clinics
  BikeWise Month
  Birthright Wanganui (single parents)
  Incredible Years
  S.K.I.P. Whanganui
  For Our Kids
• Youth 15-24 years:
  High on Life
  Dare
  Driver licensing programmes
  The White Water Years
  Computer Clubhouse
  Make It. Take It.
  Underground Youth Fashion Show
  Youth Committee
  For our Kids
  Whanganui Youth Access to Alcohol summer campaign
• Adults 25-64 years:
  Ladies Night at Mega Mitre 10
   Club Gold Walking Club
  New Zealand Safety Week
  Whangaui Workplace Health and Safety Forum
• Older Adults 65+ years:
  Modified Tai Chi for Older Adults
  Age Concern Expo (2 yrly)
  Older People’s Forum
  Club Gold Walking Club
  Senior Gym Circuit
  Elder Abuse and Neglect Prevention
  Accredited Visiting Service

In the following Environments:

• Home:
  New Zealand Safety Week each September
  Modified Tai Chi for Older Adults
  303 Parent Support Centre
  Neighbourhood Support Groups
  Elder Abuse and Neglect Prevention
  Accredited Visiting Service
• Traffic:
  BikeWise
  Child restraint checking clinics
  Whanganui Learning Centre’s driver licensing programme
  Whanganui Road Safety Action Plan
  Te Ora Hou’s driver licencing programme
  Intersections campaigns
  Mobility scooter users’ safety workshop
• Occupational:
  Whanganui Workplace Health & Safety Forum
  Health and Safety Practitioners Forums
  Workplace Neighbourhood Support (300 members)
• School:
   A range of injury prevention initiatives in schools and pre-school providers
   School patrols & walking school buses
  Underground Youth Fashion Show
  Health Promoting Schools
• Sports:
  Sport Wanganui
  Sport and recreation is included in the Safety & Wellbeing reference group
• Leisure:
   Continuous improvement of public parks, reserves and playgrounds
  Monitoring of playground injuries at Council-owned facilities
  Provision and lighting of a shared pathway along the Whanganui River
• Other:
  Provision of “Fix-it” forms for reporting of unsafe conditions or anything requiring repair.
   Using CPTED principles in planning
  Community Patrol
  Safety displays at National Children’s Day and Whanau Day
   

Violence prevention (intentional injuries):

• Anger Change for Mothers
• Intensive home-based Social Work
• Free To Be Me
• Te Rito Community Action Plan to 2012
• Family Violence Intervention Network

 Suicide prevention (self-inflected injuries):

• Training provided to agencies on youth and depression
• Kai Piki Te Ora

Programmes aiming at “High risk-groups”:

• Modified Tai Chi for older adults
• Te Ora Hou’s driver licencing programme
• Mobility scooter users’ safety workshop
• May Day for people with disabilities
• For Our Kids
• High on Life
• Life to the Max

Surveillance of injuries:

• Average number per year:
  New entitlement claims – 1487 year (2003 – 2008)
  Hospital discharges as the result of injury – 735 year (2003 – 2007)
  Deaths as the result of injury – 25 per year (2001 - 2005)
• Population base: 43,636 (2006 Census)
• Started year: As above

Produced information material, pamphlets:

• Safer Wanganui: Our Injury Profile
• Safer Wanganui: Background
• Safer Wanganui Safety Plan, view at http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/my-community/making-things-happen/planning/territorial-local-authorities/safe-communities/

International commitments:

• Participation in Safe Community conferences: 
  A paper presented at the 17^th International Safe Community Conference in Christchurch 2008
• Hosting “Travelling Seminars”:
  Dr Carolyn Coggan on 20 April 2010
  ALAC and SCFNZ Alcohol Seminar on 20 April 2009
  Laurie Gabites from Safer Wellington on 12 August 2009
• Other:
  Attendance at SCFNZ forum in Auckland on 23 August 2009

Staff

Number: 1
Professions: Administrator, Safer Wanganui
Part-time or full-time: 20 hours per week
Permanent: Short-term contract to 30 September 2010
Temporary: Temporary
Organization: Wanganui District Council
Specific intersectoral leadership group: Safer Wanganui steering group
General public health/health promotion group: 6 Safer Wanganui reference groups covering safety and wellbeing, family violence, alcohol and other drugs, justice, road safety and emergency planning