A community education program delivered by Cumberland Council in partnership with NSW Police, ‘Living safely’ was delivered as face-to-face workshops pre-pandemic, but evolved into audio so it was more widely accessible and could accommodate multiple languages.
Mayor Steve Christou said they wanted to raise awareness of crime and safety issues and provide simple and practical tips on how to minimise the risk of becoming a victim of crime – “a bit of knowledge and a few small changes can make a big difference”.
“Being a multicultural area with 52 per cent of our residents born overseas, building trust among the community, council and police is vital,” he said.
”Our residents need to know they can trust governments and police and that help is available if they need it.”
Available in English, Farsi, Arabic, Tamil, Cantonese and Simplified Chinese, the podcasts cover topics such as Protecting yourself form scams; Securing your home; Securing your vehicle; Safety out and about; and Reporting crime.
Cumberland Police Area Commander Detective Superintendent Paul Devaney said police worked closely with council to advise on topics for the podcast and regularly worked to share details about incidents to prevent future crimes.
“Sharing information and tips with culturally and linguistically diverse communities, particularly those who’ve recently arrived, is a big step forward in reducing crime,” he said.
“People who are victims of crime often can’t afford to replace property or stolen money and it can have a big impact on their life and mental well-being.”
The podcasts are available at cumberland.nsw.gov.au.
