Neighbourhood Support
Encyclopedia
Neighbourhood Support is a term used, predominantly in New Zealand, to refer to schemes similar in intent to "Neighbourhood Watch", with some additional objectives.
Neighbourhood Support is a community owned programme that is promoted as making homes, streets, neighbourhoods and communities safer and more caring places in which to live.
Neighbourhood Support works closely with the Police and a number of other organisations, to reduce crime and to prepare people to deal with emergencies and natural disasters in their community.
Neighbourhood Support became an Incorporated Society in 2000. In 2001 it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Police
. The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding is to establish and promote a collaborative working relationship between Neighbourhood Support New Zealand Incorporated and the Police.
This is primarily achieved through establishment of small cells of households known as a "Neighbourhood Support Group", comprising anywhere from 4 to 50 residential households in a single street or suburb. Groups throughout a single suburb or a wider town or city area are co-ordinated either via a civilian co-ordinator (paid or voluntary), or through a Community Constable based at a local Police station.
The main purpose of the groups is to encourage neighbours to know one another and share information on crime or suspicious activities in their area. Early contact with authorities such as the Police
is also encouraged for reporting of unusual observations or unacceptable behaviour. Crime prevention information can also be shared with group members via Community Constables, or Neighbourhood Support Area Co-ordinators.
A secondary objective of Neighbourhood Support is to facilitate communication between Civil Defence (Emergency Management) and the community during a man-made or natural disaster affecting residents.
but is similar in intent to schemes known as "Neighbourhood Watch" in other countries.
Information about local crime, crime prevention and community safety advice is provided to neighbours through participation in a Neighbourhood Support Group. Members exchange phone numbers and meet occasionally over an issue or simply to stay in touch. Some groups may have organised meetings or social functions, but this is incidental to the role of the contact person and may be co-ordinated by another group member. More recently, email addresses are also collected and are being used very effectively to enable faster contact with groups.
Each group is supported by a "Group Contact" person who is one of the members of the group. Larger groups may have several "Contact" persons. The role of the Contact Person is to ensure that group contact lists are updated as people arrive or leave the street, and group contact lists are provided to group members and to Area Co-ordinators. Newsletters received from the Area Co-ordinator or Community Constable are also distributed to members.
In some cases, a single Street Contact person may also act as an informal Area Contact, tying together a number of groups in the same suburb or street.
representatives nominated by New Zealand Police
national headquarters attends Board meetings representing the Commissioner, and has a liaison and advisory role. A formal Memorandum of Understanding
is established between Neighbourhood Support New Zealand and the New Zealand Police
to make clear the nature of the relationship, and the obligations of each party.
Regionally, activities within each district are overseen by a District Committee with boundaries aligned with those of the Police Districts.
There are local committees established in most individual rural towns or cities across New Zealand. The local committees exist to support fundraising for employment of co-ordinators and to fund promotional activities, while the District committees have the purpose of overseeing groups of towns or cities and enabling them to more effectively support one another. The district committee also provides a vehicle for election of a District Representative to the National organisation, and can provide local oversight where there is no local committee.
Neighbourhood Support is a community owned programme that is promoted as making homes, streets, neighbourhoods and communities safer and more caring places in which to live.
Neighbourhood Support works closely with the Police and a number of other organisations, to reduce crime and to prepare people to deal with emergencies and natural disasters in their community.
History
Neighbourhood Watch was introduced to New Zealand as a crime prevention initiative in the late 1970s. The initiative evolved to become Neighbourhood Support New Zealand, a community owned and managed organisation with a wide-ranging interest in crime prevention and community safety.Neighbourhood Support became an Incorporated Society in 2000. In 2001 it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
. The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding is to establish and promote a collaborative working relationship between Neighbourhood Support New Zealand Incorporated and the Police.
Objectives
Neighbourhood Support aims to make homes, streets, neighbourhoods and communities safer and more caring places in which to live.This is primarily achieved through establishment of small cells of households known as a "Neighbourhood Support Group", comprising anywhere from 4 to 50 residential households in a single street or suburb. Groups throughout a single suburb or a wider town or city area are co-ordinated either via a civilian co-ordinator (paid or voluntary), or through a Community Constable based at a local Police station.
The main purpose of the groups is to encourage neighbours to know one another and share information on crime or suspicious activities in their area. Early contact with authorities such as the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
is also encouraged for reporting of unusual observations or unacceptable behaviour. Crime prevention information can also be shared with group members via Community Constables, or Neighbourhood Support Area Co-ordinators.
A secondary objective of Neighbourhood Support is to facilitate communication between Civil Defence (Emergency Management) and the community during a man-made or natural disaster affecting residents.
Typical Scheme
The following description is based on the framework adopted in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
but is similar in intent to schemes known as "Neighbourhood Watch" in other countries.
Neighbourhood Support National Body
Neighbourhood Support New Zealand is the National body that oversees a total of 12 district Neighbourhood Support organisations throughout New Zealand.Neighbourhood Support Group
Small cells of households in a single street or adjoining houses in nearby streets form what is known as a "Neighbourhood Support Group". This can comprise anywhere from 4 to 50 residential households in a single street or suburb.Information about local crime, crime prevention and community safety advice is provided to neighbours through participation in a Neighbourhood Support Group. Members exchange phone numbers and meet occasionally over an issue or simply to stay in touch. Some groups may have organised meetings or social functions, but this is incidental to the role of the contact person and may be co-ordinated by another group member. More recently, email addresses are also collected and are being used very effectively to enable faster contact with groups.
Each group is supported by a "Group Contact" person who is one of the members of the group. Larger groups may have several "Contact" persons. The role of the Contact Person is to ensure that group contact lists are updated as people arrive or leave the street, and group contact lists are provided to group members and to Area Co-ordinators. Newsletters received from the Area Co-ordinator or Community Constable are also distributed to members.
Neighbourhood Support Area
Rural towns or sections of a city are co-ordinated by one or more "Area Co-ordinators" whose role is to assist Neighbourhood Support Groups with crime related information for their area, provide a conduit for Police to distribute crime alerts, and pass on other community safety information.In some cases, a single Street Contact person may also act as an informal Area Contact, tying together a number of groups in the same suburb or street.
Neighbourhood Support Governance
Governance of the Neighbourhood Support movement in New Zealand, is provided through a national organisation Neighbourhood Support New Zealand which is overseen by a Board. Board members are elected civilian representatives from each Neighbourhood Support District. A PolicePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
representatives nominated by New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
national headquarters attends Board meetings representing the Commissioner, and has a liaison and advisory role. A formal Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
is established between Neighbourhood Support New Zealand and the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
to make clear the nature of the relationship, and the obligations of each party.
Regionally, activities within each district are overseen by a District Committee with boundaries aligned with those of the Police Districts.
There are local committees established in most individual rural towns or cities across New Zealand. The local committees exist to support fundraising for employment of co-ordinators and to fund promotional activities, while the District committees have the purpose of overseeing groups of towns or cities and enabling them to more effectively support one another. The district committee also provides a vehicle for election of a District Representative to the National organisation, and can provide local oversight where there is no local committee.
See also
- Neighbourhood Watch (UK)Neighbourhood Watch (UK)The Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the United Kingdom is a partnership where people come together to make their communities safer. It involves the Police, Community Safety departments of local authorities, other voluntary organisations and, above all, individuals and families who want to make their...
— UK organisation - Neighborhood WatchNeighborhood WatchA neighborhood watch or neighbourhood watch , also called a crime watch or neighborhood crime watch, is an organized group of citizens devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood...
— US organisation
External links
- www.ns.org.nz Neighbourhood Support New Zealand (National body)
- www.nsakl.org.nz Neighbourhood Support (Auckland City) Incorporated, New Zealand
- NSAKL Facebook Neighbourhood Support (Auckland City) Inc. Facebook Page
- northshore.neighbourhood.org.nz Neighbourhood Support North Shore Incorporated, New Zealand
- www.nswaitakere.org.nz Neighbourhood Support Waitakere Incorporated, New Zealand
- www.nsupport.co.nz Neighbourhood Support Manukau Counties, New Zealand
- www.communitypatrols.org.nz Community Patrols of NZ homepage (Similar to Citizen Observer PatrolsCitizen ObserverA citizen observer is a resident appointed by the Chief of Police, or by the Deputy Sheriff, who has met the specific application, background and training requirements for patrolling his or her neighborhood or city subdivision to observe and report suspicious persons and criminal activity...
in the U.S. - www.victimsupport.org.nz Victim Support NZVictim SupportVictim Support is a charity in England and Wales which aims to help victims and witnesses of crime by raising awareness of their needs and by delivering dedicated services to them. It was established in 1974. It is a national charity with branches in every community and each criminal court in...
homepage - www.police.govt.nz New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand PoliceThe New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
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