Spydeberg

Safe Community Spydeberg

Name of the Community: Spydeberg
Country: Norway
Population: 4,600 (year of 2002)
Programme started year: 1994/95
International Safe Communities Network Membership: Designation year :  2002
Info address for the Programme: www.spydeberg.kommune.no

foto: Kari Kværnå, Smaalenene medier
A new park located near the center of the community called "Folkehelseparken" (The public health park).

The programme covers the following safety promotion activities:

For the age group

Children 0-14 years:
Children 0- 6 years are covered by a program where the community health center and the nursery school implement a lot of activities. Parents have answered a questionnaire and their answers contribute to the guidelines for Spydeberg as a Safe Community.
The town council and the head of the administration have been given information of the results obtained so far.

· Meeting-places for the public are given high priority.
· Information is given in the local newspaper.
· A new park near the center of the community is made with cooperation from the people who live nearby. The park is a meeting-place for children and their parents.
· A group of mothers has established their own meeting-place and a safe playfield for the kids in cooperation with groups of volunteers, humanitarian groups and the local community health center. A lot of focus has been set on the indoor environment in schools and kindergartens, and over the last four years this has resulted in a better indoor climate through various environmental investments.
· A "safe step"-program has been implemented for the kids in schools and kindergartens to prevent accidents due to slippery floors.
· A traffic security-plan related to activities in the outdoor areas has been implemented.

Children 6-15 years old are covered by a program where security measures are integrated in other school-plans. Activities relating to traffic and leisure also cover this group. School-starters (6 years of age) are covered by a special plan for this age-group when they start their education in grade 1.
· A group has been established to work with teenagers with special focus on crime, alcohol and drug-related problems.

Youth 15-24 years:
This group is mostly covered by the safety promotion activities of the traffic safety plan.
Unemployed youths (school leavers and other marginal youth groups) are given the opportunity to participate in job-training groups.

Adults 25-64 years:
Safety at work has been a theme with the workers of the home-based nursing facility and in institutions for the handicapped people and the old ones.

Elderly 65+ years:
A lot of activities has been organized for this group.

A group of elders who is learning IT at the center for voluntary activities. Moa Sundstrøm from WHO, on Site Visit in Spydeberg, is observing:

foto: Gunnar Hjorthaug


Prevention of accidents:
Accident-prevention programs are undertaken in the home situation, in kindergartens and schools, and in outdoor areas where the people of Spydeberg are free to move about.
The picture below indicates that cars and pedestrians are separated to ensure maximum safety:

foto: Gunnar Hjorthaug

The community has organized a group dealing with crime prevention.
The community has implemented a plan for dealing with psychiatric problems among the inhabitants.

Programs aiming at "High risk-groups":
· Children and their home environment
· Nursery school and school -environmental programs
· Playground, roads and other traffic related areas
· Unemployment
· Elderly people


Surveillance of injuries:
Promote a survey of statistical data relating to the community as far as injuries are concerned. The aim is to provide data for establishing relevant injury prevention programs.

Publications:
· Grimeland, J. Rapport etter kartlegging av risikosteder i hjem og nærmiljø i Spydeberg. 1998
· Tømta, I. TRS-prosjektet sluttrapport. Tverretatlig rehabilitering og sysselsettingstiltak. Spydeberg 1998
· Hjorthaug,G, Skadeprofiler og statusrapport 1998 og handlingsplan 1999

Produced information material, pamphlets:
Various brochures relating to the projects, the application to WHO etc.
International commitments: Hosting "Travelling Seminar" 2002
Study visits: Harstad, Fredrikstad, Reykjavik (Iceland) Viborg
Participation in Safe Community conferences: In Harstad 1994, Fredrikstad 1997, Amsterdam1998, Reykjavik 1999. Viborg 2001
Hosting Safe Community Conferences: Not yet
Hosting "Travelling Seminars": 2002

Staff
Number of employees: 1 project-leader/ Public Health Co-ordinator and advisor
- full time job.
Organization: Project/ program 1996-
Specific intersectoral leadership groups are established.
General public health/health promotion group was established in1996 .

For further information contact:
Sigmund Lereim
Sigmund.Lereim@spydeberg.kommune.no

The municipality of Spydeberg
Stasjonsgt.35
1820 Spydeberg
Norway