Our common priorities

The work of the vertical and horizontal strands of the Safer Whanganui project framework as depicted in the woven whāriki (see the Safer Whanganui Framework page) all contributes to the overall community (population) result of A Safe Whanganui for everyone in Whanganui.

This desired community outcome also connects with the goals of the individual Steering Group and Reference Group partners. Examples of existing alignments within the Steering Group include:

Wanganui District Council - The Safer Whanganui Safety Plan will contribute to the achievement of the Community Outcomes including (but not limited to):

• a healthy community
• a safe community
• a well connected community
• a community where people work together.

The Council is working to create a ‘Family-friendly Whanganui - the preferred place for my family home’. This means making Whanganui an attractive place for families and to ensure a quality of life for all is borne out of its family-friendly vision. Go to the Wanganui District Council website for more information.

The Ministry of Education has a strong alignment with the work of Safer Whanganui with its focus on lowering suspensions and stand down rates particularly for Māori students. Go to the Ministry of Education's website for more information.

Whanganui Police has local priorities of family violence, youth offending, alcohol- related offending and crash reduction. Go to the Police website for more information.

Horizons Regional Council 2006–2016 Community Plan includes an objective for ‘a safe and accessible region’. Go to Horizons' website for more information.

Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has a ‘safety culture’ outcomes statement in The Environment Summary Plan 2009, ‘to build a strong safety culture into the community, where communities are taking a lead role for injury prevention initiatives and outcomes'. This directly supports the NZ Injury Prevention Strategy.

Whanganui District Health Board Strategic Population Goals and Objectives are:

• Improving health through: focus on prevention strategies, health promotion and education, inter-sectorial activities and achieving improved health status in target areas.
• Reducing inequalities by: improving Māori health status in target areas, reducing avoidable admissions, reducing affordability/cost as a barrier and inter-sectorial activities.
• Promoting recovery, wellbeing and independence by: inter-sectorial activities and promoting family, whānau, hapū and community wellbeing.

Ministry of Social Development has the following priorities outlined in its 2009 Statement of Intent:

• protect people from the worst effects of the recession and to minimise unemployment 
• get the incentives right to make work the most attractive option 
• get troubled youth back on track and to help young people achieve their potential 
• make sure young children have a positive start to life 
• keep at-risk children safe – with emphasis on under two-year-olds 
• improve support for families – and young parents in particular 
• support the independence of older people 
• make sure individuals and families to live in communities that provide them with the support they need to function effectively 
• promote positive change across society in attitudes towards people with disabilities.

The remaining Steering Group partners are in the process of, or will be developing their statements of alignment to the Safer Whanganui Safety Plan. Ensuring there is alignment between the individual agency / sector outcomes and that of the Safer Whanganui project, helps tighten the weave of the collaboration: the whāriki. Motivation to engage in this project and make it sustainable for the long-term becomes attractive and achieveable when partners can see how working together also contributes to their agency goals.

The various individual priorities that the different Steering Group partners have across the seven focus areas that contribute directly to the Safer Whanganui project can be summarised as follows:

	Family Violence	Justice	Alcohol & Other Drugs	Safety & Wellbeing	Emergency Planning	Road Safety	Education
Accident Compensation Corporation	√		√	√		√
Horizons Regional Council				√	√	√	√
Ministry of Education			√				√
Ministry of Social Development	√	√		√			√
New Zealand Police	√	√	√	√	√	√
Wanganui District Council	√	√	√	√	√	√	√
Whanganui District Health Board	√	√	√	√	√	√	√