Alternatively, too many priorities
may be selected, resulting in a lack of focus for the program, or ongoing
commitment. Difficulties can also occur if a community member persists in
advocating priority for an issue that she or he alone has a vested interest in.
It
is advantageous to select a single problem for which there is evidence that it
is a significant priority (e.g., child pedestrian injury as in CPIPP). This may
not necessarily be the main priority for the community, but it can provide a
manageable focus for tangible activity and is more likely to lead to some
identifiable outcomes.
A rationale should be developed to include information
about the scope and nature of road crashes and injury with a comparison of
local and the statewide statistics. Such information can give a clearer picture
of the priorities.
Also, by presenting evidence of the beneficial effects of
other programs similar to that planned, the community group can understand that
interventions can be effective in reducing the injury problem. Once the program
is seen to be making good progress with the selected problem, group members
might then be encouraged to focus on other priority issues.
The skills these
community members develop by working on the original priority can be employed
to develop interventions for other problems they identify in their community.
The
CPIPP was developed specifically to trial child pedestrian injury prevention
interventions. During the three years of the project the participating school
and community road safety groups supported this focus. However, towards the end
of the formal project life, these groups increasingly included other aspects of
road safety in their work.
Inappropriate Program Evaluation: Inappropriate
evaluation is a common criticism of many intervention programs that rely on
community participation. This problem can be exacerbated where failure to
develop clear objectives increases the difficulty in establishing an
appropriate evaluation plan. Inadequate evaluation can affect the
accountability for resources devoted to the initiative and hence it’s later
sustainability.
Evaluation
needs to be developed as part of the initial road safety plan. Baseline data,
which are essential for effective planning, also form the basis for the project
evaluation. Partnerships between a community group and a tertiary institution
can also be beneficial.
An appropriate evaluation plan needs to be developed at
the planning stage rather than towards the end of the program. The application
of the principles of participatory research can ensure that the community
representatives have an active role in the evaluation. Evaluation specialists
from outside agencies such as tertiary institutions may be recruited to
membership of the community group.
It is desirable that these representatives
on the community group are used mainly for carrying out the evaluation, and in
an advisory capacity for other components of the program, rather than as
dominant committee members.
This can help ensure that the ownership of the
program remains in the hands of the community members and does not become too
dependent on external professionals.
An
extensive evaluation plan was developed for the CPIPP largely by the
participating university staff, with baseline data being used to refine the
project objectives and intervention strategies. Substantial community
participation occurred throughout the project period including focus and
nominal group interviews as part of the formative research phase. Ongoing
process and impact evaluation data were collected and fed back to the relevant stakeholders
during the life of the project.
Lack of Funds and Resources: Projects must
often rely on limited local finances and voluntary labour. The initial
establishment of other projects is dependent on funds provided by Government
agencies, research bodies and charitable foundations. But once these funds are
exhausted, many seek further resources from benefactors / sponsors or by
fundraising activities, drawing energy away from the task at hand.
The
likelihood of funds being provided by State and Federal government agencies to
sustain community based road safety initiatives is improved if program
effectiveness is proven. This is a good example that justifies the need for an
appropriate evaluation plan.
The
CPIPP received its core funding from a health promotion research-funding
agency, and additional funds were provided by State road safety and transport
agencies over a three year period.
Lack of Sustainability - Funding
agencies have reflected concern about the lack of sustainability of programs.
Some agencies often have the expectation that community groups will continue
their activity after the funding has been used.
The
chances of a program being sustained are greater if many of the barriers,
discussed previously, are removed. For example, programs are more likely to
continue if funds are guaranteed for the initiative. Appropriate leadership
along with support from committed and skilled community members are also
essential ingredients for sustainability.
These skills can be developed during
the early stages of a project and are part of the empowerment and capacity
building process that ultimately gives communities greater control over their
health and safety.
Whilst
sustainability or institutionalisation of programs may be desirable (i.e.
continuation in the community once the initial funding has been exhausted),
this is not always essential. It is recognised that projects provide local
people with opportunities to develop skills in health promotion and road safety
that will be useful for subsequent activities and programs. It can be desirable
for some community groups and projects to have a limited existence.
There is
little benefit in continuation if the objectives of the group or the project
have been fulfilled. An example is the community group, People Against Drink Driving (PADD) which was established in the
mid-1980’s in Western Australia with an objective of advocating for the
introduction of Random Breath Testing. The organisation was subsequently
disbanded when the measure was incorporated as part of the WA traffic safety
legislation.
In the case of the CPIPP the project was discontinued as a
separate entity once the funding for the three-year trial program had ended.
However, the program was sustained by incorporating the relevant components
into a statewide School Road Safety Education curriculum support document.
Recommendations
The
following recommendations are made to enhance a more secured and promote
community partnership in crime prevention and control on our roads: Youths in
the areas should be gainfully employed and trained on entrepreneurial skills
and granted soft loans to start up small scale businesses by governments and
other social organizations and community based Associations.
This will
ameliorate the hardship and temptations to steal by unemployed youths in
community and take them off the roads as untrained Okada riders and drivers.
There should be adequate police patrol in rural areas toward off would be
criminals both day and night time.
Community members must form vigilante
groups, neighborhood watch and partner with police through community policing
in preventing crime in their area. Government should provide infrastructure
especially electricity in rural areas in Nigeria to promote sustainable
economic life and diversification of economic activities by youths in rural
areas.
Security is everybody's business and to this end the family, schools,
and religious bodies should be used to socialize members of the community on
their roles and expected security awareness and actions in the community.
Crime
reporting to local leaders, family heads and the police should be made to
become a way of life by all. There should be plans by government and the people
to provide and maintain infrastructures like good roads, electricity, CCTV,
drone and communication facilities to facilitate crime detection and control in
our community.
It is my hope and desire that better community engagement and
enlightenment will help reduce carnage on our roads and bring the people closer
to the agency in order to maximize achievements in the mission and vision of
TRACE in Ogun State.
Thank
you all for your attention and time.
HIGH CHIEF DR. SAMSON KUNLE POPOOLA JP
CHAIRMAN
PCRC OGUN STATE
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