When most people think of safety or a safe street they tend to think of a place with low crime rates and when they consider how to make a street a safe place most think about the physical aspects of how a safe place is created i.e. tidy yards, shrubs pruned back, security screens, cars locked, doors to the house locked, security systems, CCTV, regular police patrols etc. Most of  these are important ingredients in “target hardening” a location i.e. making it harder for a crime to be committed they can also add to feelings of insecurity and suspicion.

I would suggest that while the physical aspects of security are important the most essential ingredient in making any place safe is to create social connection between those who use or live in that place. In the place where you live this is by being a good neighbour. These are the neighbours who try and connect other residents with each other and aim to be connected to others in the street. I doubt they would use these terms but it is what they do. Good neighbours are those who introduce themselves when someone new moves in, offer to ensure a neighbours letter boxes are cleared when they are away, greet other neighbours, keep an eye on what is happening in the street and say something if they notice something a liitle different. They are the ones who are involved in organising get togethers with others in the street, are often in their front yards and talking with whoever passes by, intervene when they observe children misbeahving. Good neighbours may also be involved in local organisations, participate ina local community garden or park maintenance group. basically, they are the people who create social capital amongst their neighbours and build trust between others.

The great thing about being a good neighbour is that it doesn’t take a lot of effort or commitment. It is as easy as starting a conversation with someone or inviting others around for a drink or organising a picnic in the local park. It is that simple. The result is an increase in collective efficacy and a safer place.

Our neighbour Ray is a perfect example of a good neighbour. Always up for a talk, ready to provide help, always tinkering in his garage and front yard. he knows most of the people in our street and helps to make the street safer just by being in his front yard. This presence, not only, works to create social connection with others but allows Ray to monitor the comings and goings in the street – a built in security monitor. We know Ray is home when his garage door is up. This reinforces the image that the street is safe from petty theft and that Ray is open to welcoming others into his yard.

Another example of a good neighbour is an old friend Steph. Steph and his partner live in an inner western suburb of Sydney. He is active in his garden and greets others as they pass by. Over a period of time he formed a friendship with an elderly gentleman who lived in the street. he would offer to shop for the gentleman and help where he could. He provided social connection for the man and ensured he was looked after. Recently, he struck up a conversation with a stranger in the street only to find that the person used to live in the street a number of years ago and was revisiting his childhood home. This chance conversation gave Steph an idea of the history of his house and the street, including details of those who had lived in the street in times gone by. This knowledge has created a deeper connection to the street.

There are a multitude of ways to be a good neighbour and help create a safe place. The City of Kwinana in Western Australia has created a great list of 52 things you can do to connect with your neighbours. This can be found at: https://www.kwinana.wa.gov.au/our-city/funding-and-grants/community-funding-program/Documents/52%20Ways%20to%20Connect%20with%20your%20Neighbours.pdf

The photo at the top of the page is from a photograph my father had of his old neighbourhood of Ellsmere Street, Goulburn, NSW. I’ve used this as it shows a place where people gathered together, knew each other and no doubt created a safe place for all.

This blog originally appeared at www.herdingtogether.com

A few further thoughts on the importance of community building and crime prevention or community safety.

Perceptions of crime and fear of crime are powerful driving forces with people often perceiving crime to be worse than it is in an area. As people become more fearful they tend to put the barriers up and either band together to try and make sense of the situation or reduce social contact.

Some years ago a group of community members approached both Police and their local council to seek help in addressing crime in their area. They wanted the place to be more like it was twenty years ago. The area had a bad reputation, had generational unemployment, people were fearful of young people. They requested a public meeting be held to voice their concerns. Over 100 people attended the meeting. Both Council and the Police addressed the meeting. The Police noted that crime statistics didn’t reflect the level of crime people were fearful of and encouraged people to report crime regardless of how fearful they felt. Council opted for an Assets Based Community Development approach to the concerns raised. The meeting then broke out into a World Café discussion. Each table discussed something different including the positive qualities of the area, the assets and what could be done to make the location a better place. At the conclusion of the meeting a committee of local residents was formed with the aim of building community pride and actively working to make their area a better place. 

It would be good to say that the problems changed overnight. But they didn’t. The committee struggled for some time to find a purpose, something to aim for. They became lost in concerns over insurance and projects being too difficult. Skilled community workers spent months working with the group. Eventually they focussed on a Spring Fair that was an expo to highlight everything the place had to offer. This gave the group some focus. Something to aim for, to achieve. The Fair was a major success. From this the group went from strength to strength. In the following years they found support with the local branch of the Bendigo Bank. This provided some finance for additional projects. Council worked closely with them. The partnership between the community, the bank  and council resulted in the development of a Learn to Ride facility, creation of Men’s Shed, a partnership with the local golf club to provide a youth drop in space. Council worked to improve infrastructure. A mural was painted on the local amenities block. The result was a community working together. Although crime is still a concern the community no longer expects the Police or others alone to solve the problem. They are focussing on making the place a better place. They took ownership and built a sense of belonging. The increase in social capital had the result of reducing fearful perceptions of crime and of others. Connection was created. An angry group became an agency of social change.

Another group of community members from another location also approached the Police about the level of break ins in their suburb. Again, Police statistics showed that their level of concern was overstated. Of course crime statistics are only a reflection of incidents reported to Police and not necessarily the real life situation and at other times rumours of crime events become exaggerated through the “rumour mill”. The group decided to work together to build pride in their area. One member of the group loved gardening. She planted vegetables on the strip of grass in front of her fence, leaving a sign they were for anyone to pick who wanted them. Eventually, a partnership was formed with the local school with the school’s garden opened up for community use as a Community Garden. Residents worked together to paint the “traffic island” in the middle of the road. This helped brighten the area, they cleaned up vegetation near the school, lobbied council to repair drainage and put in bollards near the pick-up zone for the school to keep children safe. They worked together, made sure that they had each other’s contact numbers. Over a period of time their concern for break-ins diminished as they worked to create a stronger sense of community and local ownership. This resulted in both a lower fear of crime as well as building capital between community members and empowering them to take ownership of their community space. Part of this process of community was identifying the interests, skills and passions of each person. These became the motivation for many of the projects they worked on and assisted in developing stronger relationships and connections which in turn created a safer place.

Community is always the solution.

This blog originally appeared at www.herdingtogether.com