Hackney has been chosen as one of three areas in the UK for a new scheme to fight crime in the community, it was announced today.
Hackney has been chosen as one of three areas in the UK for a new scheme to fight crime in the community, it was announced today.
Norwich Union, the UK’s largest general insurer, has teamed up with national charity Crime Concern and the borough’s Safer Communities Partnership to launch the Norwich Union Neighbourhood Apprenticeship Scheme, which will focus on training and coaching local people in Hackney to work with fellow residents to fight crime.
Apprentices are to be appointed in three areas - Hackney, the Blacon Estate in Chester, and the Northfield Estate in Birmingham - and they will work under the supervision and guidance of experienced Crime Concern managers already working with local organisations on crime reduction and drug education programmes in the neighbourhoods.
According to Home Office statistics on notifiable offences for 2001/02, Hackney Borough crime is the sixth highest in London.
And recent research by Norwich Union shows that while there has been a drop in community spirit across the UK, the figures are worse in areas of social housing.
People living in social housing are twice as likely to become victims of crime*, and Norwich Union’s 'Community Crime’ study reveals that residents in these areas also had a much greater fear for their personal safety and their property. The study of 1,000 households and more than 350 council tenants nationwide reveals one in three of council tenants have been a victim of crime - and on average they’ve suffered at least twice.
The apprenticeship position in Hackney will be advertised in January, with the successful applicant starting in April.
Jill Willis, market development manager for Norwich Union Insurance, said: “As the UK's largest household insurance company we want to understand what’s really underneath the crime figures, particularly in areas of social housing where the levels of crime are twice the national average.
“Our research shows that fear of crime far outweighs actual reported figures, with more than two thirds of people living on council estates worrying about their personal safety and that of their property.
"By funding apprenticeship schemes like the one in Hackney, we hope to achieve a better understanding of what works best at a grass roots level, in the hope that we can build on and develop other schemes like this in the future."
Shaun Whelan, Crime Concern’s Neighbourhood Safety Development Manager, added: “Much crime in England and Wales takes place in key neighbourhoods, and crime statistics show that 82 per cent of all recorded robberies are in 10 of the 43 police force areas – so it’s vital that efforts and resources focus on those communities most affected.
“It is clear that action is needed to empower communities to help in the fight to reduce crime, and the Norwich Union Neighbourhood Apprenticeship Scheme will contribute to targeting the areas most in need.”
A Hackney council spokesperson added: "It is an improving crime reduction situation which will benefit further by the Apprenticeship scheme."
Note: there will be a press interview opportunity on Monday, Dec 2, 2002, from 11am at the Woodberry Down Cyber Café, 93 Woodberry Grove, London, N4 2SP.
Media contact:
Howard Bowden, Jane Wheeler or Matt Buchanan at QBO on 020 7379 0304, or Jenny Chapman (mobile – 07775 822 642) at Norwich Union on 08703 66 68 64.
Notes to editors
* Crime Concern statistic
- Norwich Union commissioned Connect Research to interview 366 council tenants in London and the South East, West Midlands and Scotland in June 2002. Sample included English speaking tenants and non-English speaking Asian tenants.
- Norwich Union also commissioned ICM Research Limited to interview 1,000 households across the country about crime and home security in June 2002.
- Norwich Union is the UK’s largest insurer. In general insurance it is more than 1.5 times the size of its nearest competitor, and has a 19 per cent share of the market.
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- one in five households
- one in five motor vehicles
- more than 700,000 businesses
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