Categories
[This text is copied from the CCN Categories page - I copied it in case the CCN deleted it]
There are 32 subject categories. Below is a list of these categories with a brief description of each, and most importantly, the message that each topic needs to give to its audience. It is advisable that you do your own research on your chosen topic. There is a list of useful websites at the bottom of the page which may provide a useful starting point for this.
Crime
Education
Health
Housing
Environment
Economy
Community Advice and Services
Crimes in town centres are often committed by local people. Common offences include assault, snatch theft, crimes against businesses and robbery. Crime in town centres can be intimidating and discourages visitors, causing local businesses to suffer.
Message- Local schemes are in place to deter and/or prevent town centre criminals.
Rural Crime
Rural areas suffer the same crimes as urban areas as well as those crimes which are more common in the countryside such as trespass and livestock theft. However, rural dwellers are often unconcerned about crime. Rural areas are generally characterised by small, close-knit communities, limited access to services and high rates of primary sector employment.
Message- People in rural areas should be vigilant about crime.
Hate Crime
Hate crime is any criminal offence, committed against a person or property that is motivated by the offender's hate against people because of their sex, race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. A victim of hate crime does not have to be either a member of a minority group or someone who for some reason is considered vulnerable.
Message- Hate crimes should not be tolerated and should be reported.
Learning Difficulties
People of any age can have learning difficulties due to physical or mental disabilities. Children who have special educational needs (SEN) are identified as those who are unable to learn at the same rate as others of the same age. Additionally, many adults lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Message - Help is available for people with learning difficulties.
Youth Work Experience
Work experience is undertaken by young people as an essential part of their study or as an independent choice and includes placements, internships and part-time work. Work experience is beneficial to a person's CV and shows them what their chosen field of work is really like. Help in attaining a placement can be acquired from educational bodies and specialist organisations.
Message- Work experience can have long-term benefits so arrange it with care.
Substance Misuse
The term substance misuse refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of alcohol, illegal drugs, prescribed drugs or solvents. Users become dependent on the substance and as usage continues, larger quantities of the subject are required to produce the desired effect. Physical and psychological problems are suffered when a person stops using the substance.
Message - People giving up substance misuse require professional and personal support.
Impact of Crime on health
The direct relationship between crime and health is the physical damage suffered during assaults and attacks, including domestic violence. Indirectly, the fear of crime can cause psychological problems. Victims and their friends and family can suffer emotional distress following a crime.
Message - The effects of crime can cause long-lasting damage to people's wellbeing.
Smoking
Smoking is an expensive, addictive habit, which causes many ailments such as cancer, heart disease, strokes and respiratory problems. Smoking is banned in many public places as non-smokers are at risk from passive smoking.
Message- The financial and/or medical benefits of quitting smoking are vast.
Self Harm
In its broadest sense, self-harm describes a wide range of things that people do to themselves in a deliberate and usually hidden way, which are damaging. The most common methods of self harm involve the repeated cutting of the skin, but equally may include burning, scalding, banging or scratching one's own body, ingesting small amounts of toxic substances or objects to cause discomfort or damage.
Message- If you or someone you know is harming themselves, there are people who can help.
Council Services
Council services range from matters such as dealing with abandoned vehicles and researching family history, to vital provisions including healthcare, emergency services and education. Services provided by local councils are funded in part by council tax.
Message- Local councils are responsible for more services than you may realise.
Homelessness
Homeless people are defined as people who sleep rough and people who have to live in illegal, overcrowded or dangerous accommodation such as squats or refuge centres. Homelessness occurs due to inability to afford rent and unfavourable environments at home. Homeless people often suffer verbal and physical abuse from passers-by or fellow homeless people.
Message- No-one chooses to live rough so treat homeless people with respect.
Buying your council house
When buying a council house, there are several costs which the owner will incur that they have not previously been responsible for such as mortgage repayments, building insurance and maintenance. The opportunity for a tenant to buy their council house is dependent on how long they have lived there. Some residents may be entitled to a discount.
Message- Be aware of all the financial implications involved with buying a house.
Nuisance Neighbours
Nuisance behaviour includes sound pollution, unpleasant smells, anti-social behaviour and uncontrolled animals. Ways of dealing with these issues range from informal discussions between neighbours, to council investigations and court cases.
Message- Be considerate towards your neighbours.
Gas Servicing and Safety
Councils and landlords are responsible for ensuring that gas pipework and all gas appliances in the housing stock are safe to use. Under the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations 1998, councils and landlords must ensure gas appliances are serviced every 12 months.
Message- Gas appliances should be serviced every 12 months.
Employment
Going to work is an excellent way to make friends, develop skills and make a mark on the world. Having responsibilities at work makes people more responsible in all aspects of their lives. When earning money, people become more independent and can spend on luxuries as well as necessities.
Message- Work offers more than just financial rewards.
Anti-Social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour ranges from vandalism to drunken behaviour to littering.
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) are issued in court to deter offending individuals from committing the anti-social acts. Breaching an Order can result in arrest.
Message - Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
Vandalism
Vandalism is the destruction or defacement of public or private property such as arson and graffiti. It can occur anywhere but is generally found on public buildings and railways. It is costly to authorities and individual victims and is most commonly committed by males.
Message- Treat other people's property as you would treat your own.
Quality of Life
Quality of life is based on the standard of social, economic and environmental conditions in a given area and acts as an indicator as to what works well and what could be improved. On a personal level, achievable lifestyle changes cold improve your quality of life.
Message- Communities can work together to improve quality of life.
Transport Services
The routes and running times of public transport services can affect people's lifestyles and dictate where and when they are able to work and socialise. Aeroplanes, ferries and cabs also help to support infrastructure. Transport services are highly beneficial for people who cannot drive.
Message- Imagine your life without transport services.
Environmental Services
Looking after the environment can improve quality of life. Local services such as the provision of recycling boxes, street cleaning and rubbish collection services as well as conservation areas all help to keep the local area clean and environmentally-friendly so that future generations can enjoy them.
Message- Take pride looking after your local area.
Toursim
Tourist visits can boost a local economy as they spend money on their trips and people need to be employed to cater to their needs. Tourism must be sustainable to allow future generations to be able to visit the areas.
Message - Be welcoming to tourists as they can benefit the local area.
Improved Transport
More routes, modes of transport and earlier and later running times can give a greater number of people access to transport services and improve people's lifestyles. It can also allow people from other areas to visit and therefore boost the local economy when paying for their services. Vandalism and passenger intimidation can ruin improvements made to transport services.
Message- Act responsibly when travelling.
Information Technology (IT)
Information technology comprises computers and the Internet, which is a modern multimedia and interactive method of gaining knowledge from around the world. The public can access computers and the Internet at libraries, schools and adult community learning centres. Many IT training courses are free.
Message- everyone has access to IT training.
Sports Development
Sports are an important part of keeping healthy and can promote social inclusion as local sports teams help to bring communities together. Various sports are promoted at schools and organisations exist for disabled people to get involved in sports. There are also many training opportunities for sports coaches.
Message-Playing sport is a good way to make friends and get fit.
Community Regeneration
Local regeneration involves giving an area a makeover, improving the services, housing and infrastructure within an area. It is usually presented as a long-term project and follows a consultation with local people and developers.
Message-The upheaval of regeneration generates worthwhile results.
Council Worker ID
It is compulsory for council workers to carry photographic identification when they are working to distinguish themselves from bogus workers. If a person claiming to be a council worker telephones the recipient should ask for the person's name, position and department and telephone number which they can call them back on. Residents should not give out personal details or let people into their home unless they have verified their identification.
Message - Always check council workers' identification.
Council Websites
Users of council websites can find out about their local councillors, find contact details for services which are relevant to them, as well as look up local schemes and special offers. Locals can also find out where the next council meetings are held and how they can attend and voice their opinion.
Message- Council websites are an excellent source of information about local issues.
Housing Benefit
People who pay rent and have a low income are eligible to claim housing benefit. However, the rules are different for asylum seekers, people under 25 and those living with partners or close relatives.
Message- Contact your council to find out if you are entitled to housing benefit.
Support for the Elderly
Elderly people are generally vulnerable members of society and some require mobility aids, extra healthcare and lifestyle assistance. Often, elderly people are aware of their vulnerability so security enhancements around their home can make them feel safer.
Message- Elderly relatives and neighbours appreciate help and company.
Housing Advisory Service
Local housing advisory services deal with issues such as the amount of affordable housing in the area and homelessness. They also advise on general housing problems.
Message- Your local housing advisory service can help with living-accommodation queries.
Information Access
Information about local events and services is available on community notice boards, public buildings such as libraries and sports centres, council offices and on council websites. Knowledge and participation in local events creates community spirit.
Message- Be aware of what is going on in your local area.
Financial Support
Financial support is given to people from the Government in a variety of forms including jobseekers' allowance, childcare costs, carers' allowance and student loans. This support is offered to people who need money as they are disadvantaged in some way or unable to afford a desired service by themselves.
Message- Contact your local council if you are in doubt about whether or not you are entitled to financial support.
The weblinks listed below provide useful starting points for researching issues relating to your chosen category. In addition, local council websites are an excellent source of information for finding out the key issues and events in your area. They will also tell you about buying council houses, council workers' identification, housing advisory services and other local council services. For a list of local council websites, visit: www.direct.gov.uk/QuickFind/LocalCouncils
www.direct.gov.uk and www.auditcommission.gov.uk offer general public service information. The 'direct' site is particularly useful for the financial support category.
www.crimereduction.gov.uk - This is the Government's website about crime-related issues. This site is useful for researching rural crime, town centre crime, hate crime, anti-social behaviour and the impact of crime on health.
www.learndirect-advice.co.uk - A site about adult learning. This site's help and advice section is useful for reading about learning difficulties.
www.dwp.gov.uk- The Government's Department for Work and Pensions website is helpful in explaining housing benefit and employment.
http://england.shelter.org.uk- Shelter is an organisation specialising in housing policy. The site is useful for reading up on homelessness, housing benefit, anti-social behaviour and nuisance neighbours.
www.support4learning.org.uk- This education website is helpful for researching youth work experience and learning difficulties.
www.ufi.com/ukol- The website is the UK online centre, aiming to give everyone access to the Internet and computers. This is useful for the information technology category.
www.rcpsych.ac.uk- The Royal College of Psychiatrists website contains information about self-harm and substance misuse.
www.nta.nhs.uk- The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse.
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk - The National Health Service website is useful for the smoking, self harm and substance misuse.
www.homelesspages.org.uk- Useful for the homelessness category.
www.together.gov.uk- Useful for anti-social behaviour and nuisance neighbours.
www.dft.gov.uk- The Department for Transport site is helpful for the transport services and improved transport topics.
www.defra.gov.uk- The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contains details of environmental issues.
www.visitengland.com- Find out about tourism here.
www.newstartmag.co.uk- This is the website for the weekly community regeneration magazine New Start.
www.sportdevelopment.org.uk - This site contains lots of articles about sports initiatives in the UK.
www.corgi-gas-safety.com- This site details gas servicing and safety regulations.