Community Development

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The Safer Community Council

New Plymouth District Safer Community Council (NPDSCC) is a charitable trust that is part of a national network funded by the Government's Crime Prevention Unit. It is sponsored by us and based in the Community Development Centre in the Top Town Cinema Complex on Devon St.

The safer community council's priority is to reduce the level of general violence, youth offending, theft of and from cars, and family violence in New Plymouth District. It does this by coordinating existing community crime prevention programmes and planning for and encouraging the development of new programmes in the community – all within the context of a local community crime prevention plan.

Project funding

Funding is available for community groups whose work can further the goals of the safer community council. If you have a small-scale crime prevention project, initiative or activity which fits within the NPDSCC Annual Business Plan, you are welcome to apply for funding.

Note: It can take six to eight weeks to process a funding application so please be sure to lodge your application with plenty of time to spare.

Funding criteria (Two pages 88KB PDF)
Funding terms and conditions (Three pages 88KB PDF)
Funding application form (Five pages 114KB PDF)

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Focus groups

The safer community council has five focus groups which meet monthly to discuss various awareness and crime prevention initiatives. These groups also make funding applications on behalf of community groups that are providing crime prevention programmes and projects.

YATA (Youth Access to Alcohol) - meets every third week of the month.
Family Violence Focus Group – meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 9am. Note: Public attendance of this group is by prior arrangement only.
NPDSCC Executive – meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 9am.
Graffiti Violence meetings being established.

All focus groups, as well as the NPDSCC executive, meet at the safer community council's office in the Community Development Centre in New Plymouth.

All of the focus group meetings are open to the public except for the Family Violence Focus Group – please contact NPDSCC coordinator (ph 06-758 7911, email sccnp@xtra.co.nz) if you would like to arrange to attend a Family Violence Focus Group meeting.
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Community projects

New Plymouth District Safer Community Council has organised a variety of successful community projects. Among these are the Y's Mums programme at the YMCA, which provides an opportunity for teenage mothers to continue their education; the Waitara Project Trust, which is an alternative education programme for Waitara youths and Think before you buy under 18s. These programmes were so successful that they now run independently from the safer community council.

NPDSCC members

Barry Finch (Chairperson), New Plymouth District Council.
Brent LaHood (Treasurer), Accountant.
Wendy Healy (Administrator).
Jillian Ridgewell (media spokesperson), Barnardos.
Andrew Sylvester, community individual.
Troy Egan, Child Youth and Family Services.
Catherine Dodd, Department of Courts.
Fiona Prestidge, New Plymouth Police.
Jan Hareb, Community Probation.
Jenny Judd, Victim Support.
Kath Forde, ACC.
Margaret Sullivan, community individual.
Jean Ruakere, Ngati Te Whiti Iwi.
Kelvin Stephens, Te Rau Pani.
Wayne South, Taranaki Work Trust.
Rosemary Bent, St Mary's Pro Anglican Church.
Craig Campbell-Smart, NPDC Community Development Advisor.