Welcome to Safer Wales

SAFER WALES CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Creating Safe and Cohesive Communities
Everyone has the right to feel safe, to live their life without fear, and to be part of a cohesive and inclusive community.  However, for many residents of Wales, a real or perceived lack of safety is a major barrier to achieving this ideal.
Combating fear is therefore a key strand of any strategy to create a safer and more cohesive Wales.  Wales’ commitment to a citizen-focused agenda provides a ready-made framework to deliver this.
Among the most corrosive fears which people experience are excessive and unjustified fears of:
·         Young people
·         Crime
·         Other Cultures
Our communities are in danger of being driven apart by these fears.  Our approach to a cohesive community is to open up these difficult issues for frank and open debate, in which all citizens have an equal voice.

Fear of Young People
We will reduce fear of and among young people by:
·         Creating opportunities to bring younger and older people together to challenge stereotypes, defuse fears and foster understanding.
·         Working with young people on their understanding of equality, rights and responsibilities under the law, exploring themes of human rights, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia etc.
·         Working with employers and communities to increase opportunities for currently alienated or excluded young people to become better integrated into the world of work and community life. 

Fear of Crime
Three key actions are necessary: to protect victims, to provide reassurance to the wider community and to create socially inclusive and sustainable preventative action.  We will do this by:
·         Providing immediate practical solutions for victims
·         Targeting the risk factors and vulnerabilities which surround victims and offenders, and acknowledging that many offenders can also be categorised as victims.
·         Awareness raising, promotional activities and events which celebrate diversity, challenge stereotypes and defuse fear.

Fear of Other Cultures
We will consciously and actively work with Musilim and other BEM communities to:

• confront and debunk myths and stereotypes that are prevalent abouth those communities
• openly and honestly discuss barriers and exclusion based on nationality, ethnicity or religion

Barbara Natasegara,

Chief Executive, Safer Wales, June 2008