Our work : Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch launch 'Our Watch'

Live|work help define the vision for the new site

Neighbourhood Watch Network is a unique voluntary organisation with reportedly 10 million members across the UK who connect with each other and the police to actively deter crime in their neighbourhoods.

Following research demonstrating that Neighbourhood Watch (NHWN) has a measurable impact on crime prevention the Network and the UK Home Office wanted to explore how NHWN could increase its reach and membership to include younger people and higher crime neighbourhoods; both groups currently less likely to be involved with NHWN.

What could NHW do to engage these groups, make it easier for them to take part and have an impact on their neighbourhood? Are there new approaches that may be needed for different kinds of neighbourhood?

Working closely with the police, Neighbourhood Watch members and people currently not engaged from key target groups live|work developed a strategy to increase involvement of younger people and new locations.

We found that the effective networking strategies of NHWN based on meetings and phone messages did not always fit with the working lives of busy people and in addition some were reluctant to be involved in such a personal manner preferring more mediated interactions with their neighbours.

These insights lead to the development of a looser membership style, enabled by the internet to allow neighbours to engage and stay informed without having to join the group in the established way.

_{Concept for supporting people in more challenging areas}

Additionally, we learnt that in higher crime neighbourhoods the needs of local people were qualitatively different to the classic NHWN suburb. In these locations people experience crime and anti-social behaviour on a regular basis. Their need was not to take preventative measures but to connect directly with neighbours and the police in ways that could protect their anonymity and enable them to feel safer.

_{Concept for creating a local group for a park clean up}

Finally, we were impressed by the effectiveness of the most active NHWN groups and felt that their efforts, which were community building as well as crime preventing, could be replicated by other networks if they were given the tools to do so.

Live|work’s strategy has recently been implemented by NHWN supported by the Home Office. NHWN now have a new site Ourwatch

After a few short months since the site launched this combined approach has enabled over 34,000 people to engage with this innovative ‘community networking’ approach.

_{The new site ‘Our Watch’ with postal search to show you the groups in your area}

Neighbourhood Watch Network, together with VISAV, the Design Council and Electric Putty have been awarded a Highly Commended award for the ‘Our Watch’ website at the Nominet Internet Awards 2011 in the category for leading the way in nurturing powerful local partnerships.

_{The new resource centre on ‘Our Watch’ which has materials and tools to support members and coordinators}