You don't need a badge to help build safety in your community - a crime prevention action plan can help you and your neighbours tackle crime and victimization risks to local youth, families, homes and businesses.

Crime prevention works best when it's planned and delivered locally by engaging a variety of people. The proof is in the varied efforts of hundreds of volunteers who have helped build safer communities throughout B.C.

While many of those efforts and programs are well-established, there are tools to help you organize and activate a plan to make your community safer. The online guides listed below can help to take steps to develop your action plan, including:

• Defining your community. Who are your stakeholders, interest or citizen groups, or others? Or, is your community best defined by geographic boundaries, common interests (such as faith or business groups), or a shared activity, like a sport?
• Mobilizing your community by identifying and mobilizing specific partners. In reaching out to them, questions you may ask include: Who is affected by crime and related problems? Who is at risk of victimization? Who is already involved in crime prevention?
• Building collaborative relationships. Clear communication - particularly about partners' roles - can be vital to your success, and a number of online tools are available to support partnership and capacity-building.
• Engaging youth in local decision-making. This leads to results that are more responsive and appropriate to their needs and interests.
• Recruiting and involving a range of volunteer groups and individuals.
• Identifying crime issues in your community.
• Developing a communications strategy and learning how to involve the media.

Find out more:

For step-by-step help in developing your community crime prevention action plan, please see the Community Crime Prevention Guide and the Safe Communities Kit resources online at:

www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/publications/index.htm

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961