How to become an International Safe Community?

A “Safe Community” can be a: Municipality; a County; a City or a District of a City working with safety promotion, Injury-, Violence- and Suicide- prevention and prevention of the consequences (human injuries) related to Natural Disaster, covering all age groups, gender and areas and is a part of an international network of accredited programmes.

The Safe Community initiative differs in comparison to other injury prevention programs. In an International Safe Community, the community itself plays the leading role. The term Safe Community implies that the community work for increased safety in a structured approach, not that the community is already perfectly safe. Creative methods of education, physical planning and environmental change joined with appropriate regulations and enforcement are an important beginning for the safety of a community. An International Safe Community use the traditional means of control such as economic, regulations and governing by objectives and visions. No single approach is sufficient for changing existing behaviour patterns. Heightening of public awareness is also very import.

Programs to prevent and control injuries and accidents must identify and characterise the injury problem and evaluate the effectiveness of injury control interventions. Though epidemiology is not the soul of the safe communities concept, the vital importance of it must be respected.

It still needs a comprehensive work to develop safety so accident and injuries decrease to absolute minimum. We are welcoming all who want to participate and share experience and be one of the models in our network

Here is a short description of the applying process.

1. The community starts the certifying process by filling in the "Letter of intent" signed by the Mayor
and send it to International Safe Community Certifying Centre (ISCCC) General manager Guldbrand Skjönberg e-mail: guldbrand.skjonberg@isccc.global . Note the letter of intent must be sent as a word-file.

2. After that the community get an invoice 390 Euro that is the administration fee to ISCCC when using the computer-based system

3. When the fee is paid the community starts the certifying process by filling in the application form for designation or for re-designation.

4. ISCCC appoint certifier and co-certifier accredited by ISCCC. The application process is described …

5. Normally discussions takes place between the certifiers and the community about the application

6. When the certifiers are satisfied with the application the certifier and the community decide about a site-visit. Normally two days. The site-visit is an occasion when the certifier verify the content in the application. An alternativ to site-visit performed by the certifier ISCCC have worked out an alteritiv with vertual on-line certification.

7, After the site-visit the community normally makes some changes in the applicaion.

8. The applicaion sends to the Chair and the General Manager for final clearece.

9. The community and the certifier decide about day for designation.

10 The community organise a seminar for politicians, non-governmental organisations and local administrations and also normally invite other International Safe Communities and communities that starts their safety work and other interested communities and organisations.

 

The applicants have to pay the travelling costs (economy class) and accommodation as well as compensation for the work to the certifier and co-certifier

Assembly for International Safe Community Support Centre have decided  following fees for certification in Euro.

Occasion	Fees for ISCCC	Compensation Certifier	Compensation Co-certifier	Total
Designation:	590 when using the computer-based system	2000**	300*	3070+ travel (economy class) + accommodation
Re-designation after five years***:	390 when using the computer-based system	1000*	300*	1720 + If any travels the compensation is as above.
Every 10th year re-designation:	390when using the computer-based system	2000**	300*	2720 + travel (economy class) + accommodation

*This is the total cost for the community and no more cost for tax, insurance or payroll tax etc. can be charged.

** The certifier is expected to participate in site-visit and designation ceremony.

*** The certifier can decide that a site-visit is needed also after five years if there are reasons for that. The compensation than will be 2000 Euro to the certifier.

 

The fee is excluding:

• Brass Plaque
• Safe Community flags

 

On-Line certification:

During the pandemic ISCCC has developed an on-line  site-vist model for certification and decided about new compensation for certifiers. There are three certifiers - the leading Certifier and two certifiers. 

• Overall the compensation to  the certifiers are the  the same -2300 euro in total (the work is more shared between certifiers and the division of fees reflect that)
  • Lead certifier: 900 euro
  • 2 Certifiers : 700 euro to each of them

 

Online Certification 

 

A written application would be submitted as normal and will remain the foundation of the assessment.

As in an on-site site-visit, it is important that as many contributors to the Safe Community program as possible participate in the online meetings (including, politicians, civil servants, representatives of contributing government organisations, representatives from voluntary organisations and representatives from the local business sector. To facilitate effective communication the ISCCC will use Zoom platform for virtual meetings:

A professional Interpreter would act as a conduit of communication between the certifier channel and the community.

Community members and invited observers from other communities in the same language are, may observe and use another channel for their virtual meetings.

The panel of certifiers will consist of three certifiers and up to three adjunct certifiers or certifiers in training.

The virtual on-line certification assessment will consist of:

Preparatory meeting – 30 minutes. During this meeting the internet link will be tested and optimum use of the software discussed. The program for the online evaluation will then be negotiated by the community and the certifiers. The community can nominate examples of good examples they would like to present and any areas that they would like to discuss with the certifiers for feedback and support. The certifiers will also nominate areas they want the community to present during the online meetings, to verify the content of the application, identify good examples and to allow better understanding of the safe community program.

Session 1. Governance and surveillance – 2 hours. This meeting will consist of introduction of the certifiers and the community, after which the community will give presentations about the organisation and governance of the overall Safe Community program, its surveillance systems, the inter-sectorial collaboration and support to the citizens. The visions and objectives for the Safe Community program. The priorities within the program and the key results.

Session 2 - 3. The Safe Community program and its projects - 4 hours. This meeting will consist of presentations of projects as negotiated by the community and certifiers. There will be purposeful sampling of the overall program to ensure that all indicators are covered. It is not necessary, or expected, that all groups and projects will need to present.

Session 4. Plans, quality improvement program and evaluation – 2 hours. During this meeting the community will present and discuss:

1. The quality improvement programs with examples of how this has impacted on program organization, design and implementation
2. The self-evaluation and reflections of the progress, plans for the next 5 years
3. How the community plan to be a forerunner for its citizens and others
4. Future engagement with the national and international safe community networks.

The meeting will end with a summary of the evaluation by the certifier and the Mayors response and closure.

Fees: The total fees will not be changed

• Overall ISCCC fees and fees for the certifiers would remain the same.
  • Lead certifier: 900 euro
  • Co-certifiers (x2): 700 euro
• ISCCC: 590 euro
• Certifiers: 2300 euro in total

 

Designation ceremony and Safe Community program showcase.

• It is important for the community to present and celebrate their achievements to the certifier, their own Safe Community coalition members and any visiting communities.
• Where possible, it is still highly desirable for the certifier to attend in person for the safe community program showcase and designation ceremony.
• The program for the showcase and designation ceremony will be negotiated between the certifier and then community.

 

• Overall ISCCC fees and fees for the certifiers would remain the same.
  • ISCCC: 590 euro
  • Certifiers: 2300 euro in total
    • Lead certifier: 900 euro
    • Co-certifiers (x2): 700 euro

 

Designation ceremony and Safe Community program showcase.

• It is important for the community to present and celebrate their achievements to the certifier, their own Safe Community members and any visiting communities.
• Where possible, it is still highly desirable for the certifier to attend in person for the safe community program showcase and designation ceremony.
• The program for the showcase and designation ceremony will be negotiated between the certifier and then community.