Noarlunga

Noarlunga Safe Community No. 14

Name of the Community: City of Onkaparinga - outer southern coastal area of metropolitan Adelaide, 35 km from the Central Business District
Country: Australia

Number of inhabitants: 160,000 Program started year: 1992

International Safe Communities Network Membership Designation year:

First designated in 1996 Re-designated in October 2003 Second re-designation December 2009

Full application available:

http://www.safecommunities.org.au/_upload_docs/200912011420380.Noarlunga_Redesignation_2009.pdf

For further information please contact:
Name: Tess Byrnes
Institution: Southern Primary Health – Noarlunga Address: Alexander Kelly Drive, Noarlunga Centre, 5168 Country: Australia

Phone: +61 8 384 9266
Fax: +61 8 8384 9248
E-mail: tess.byrnes@health.sa.gov.au

The program covers the following safety promotion activities for the age group:

Children 0-14 years: Community safety, hazard identification Youth 15-24 years: Workplace safety, personal safety
Adults 25-64 years: Workplace, home safety
Elderly 65+ years: Home safety, Falls prevention

Violence prevention (intentional injuries):
Keep Safe Stay Cool
Keep Safe Stay Cool is an internationally evidence-based early intervention program targeting young people between the ages of thirteen and twenty-five years. It uses a peer education model to promote healthy relationships as opposed to interpersonal violence. Keep Safe Stay Cool utilises a framework of human rights to encourage change in young people’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviours regarding interpersonal relationships.

Onkaparinga Collaborative Approach
The purpose of the Onkaparinga Collaborative Approach to the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OCA) is to promote a coordinated regional approach to the prevention of domestic violence and Indigenous family violence.

Suicide prevention (self-inflected injuries):
Depression in the Workplace
Initiatives focus on practical programs and resources to deal with the issue of depression in the small business community.

The depression/suicide prevention program works ‘face to face’ with some 250 local small businesses. Each worksite has been provided with a range of information and educational resources to raise their awareness of mental health and depression and to promote access to services and support, both emergency and ongoing.

Programs aiming at “High risk-groups”: Pathways to Independence

In 2006 a Falls Prevention Planning program was established by the Southern Adelaide Health Service to look at regional falls, falls injury data and current prevention services as priorities for the region.

A major goal for this initiative was to implement a program that would result in a reduction of falls resulting in unnecessary costly hospital admissions.

Safe and Healthy Workplaces in the South
The Safe and Healthy Workplaces in the South program is a community based approach to injury prevention that aims to promote safer and healthier workplaces and reduce the risk of injury in small industry.

Healthy Body Art – Primary School Education Program

The aim of the program is for young people to be well informed about the risks of body piercing in order to make safe and healthy choices and remain free from infection and injury. The program specifically targets primary school students in Year 6/7.

Surveillance of injuries: Access to National, State and community injury data Numbers per year: N/A
Population base: 160 000

Started year: 1992

Publications:

Application for International Safe Communities Membership [1995]
Noarlunga Towards a Safe Community, International Safe Communities Redesignation Report [2003]
Noarlunga Safe Community, International Safe Communities Redesignation Report [2009] Keep Safe Stay Cool Website http://www.softcon.com.au/kssc/
Tackling Injury Prevention in Small Industry Report
Safe Dreaming Trails to School: Community Participation and Indigenous Culture
Healthy Body Art: Body Piercing Infection and Injury Research Report [2006]
Handwashing Facilities in Primary Schools in the City of Onkaparinga Research Report [2008] Infection Control Education and Training for Body Piercers and Tattooists Report [2009]

Staff:
Number: 1.5 full time equivalent
Professions: Community Health Workers
Permanent: Yes
Organization: Southern Primary Health - Noarlunga
Specific intersectoral leadership group: Noarlunga Safe Community Reference Committee General public health/health promotion group: A range of working parties

International commitments:

Participation in Safe Community conferences:
Australia, SafeComm Conference 1996
Hosting "Travelling Seminars": 1996 SafeComm Travelling Seminar AusAid visit - South Africa, 1997
Bangladesh, Safe Communities Conference, 2000
Bangladesh, 2nd Asian regional Conference on Safe Communities, 2004 Christchurch NZ, 17th International Safe Communities Conference, 2008 Membership of the Australian Safe Communities Foundation since 2007

During 2002, 2004 and 2005 Sherpur Safe Community, Bangladesh and the Noarlunga Safe Community Program worked together in developing and implementing an innovative injury prevention programs.

Hosting annually visits and workshops with international visitors and students attending the Healthy Cities Short Course convened with Flinders University of South Australia.

Noarlunga Safe Community is an active member of the Australian Safe Communities Foundation (ASCF) and is involved in the peer review process for potential International Safe Community applicants.

Noarlunga Safe Community is regularly invited to present injury prevention programs and safety initiatives to other local and State governments as well as international delegations.