How to Start a
Neighbourhood Watch Group

 The procedural maze - HANWaG is here to guide through every step of the way
Section 1

Step 1
Contact HANWaG

Before embarking on starting a new group, it is a good idea to make contact with the HANWaG representative (Neighbourhood Watch Development Officer) who covers your area. Our staff have much experience in starting new Neighbourhood Watch Groups and their services are entirely free.

In addition to answering any questions you may have, we will be able to provide you with all documentation and information necessary to start your new group.

To contact us Click Here

Step 2
Decide On a Clearly Defined Area

It is important to decide upon the size and exact area where your Neighbourhood Watch will operate. Although Groups can be of any size, our experience is that 20-30 households is a manageable number for one Co-ordinator. If you have a much larger number in mind, you will need to split the Group into schemes and enlist the help of other Co-ordinators.

When making the decision, you should bear in mind:

Step 3
Distribute Questionnaires to All Households

On request, HANWaG will provide you with questionnaires which you should distribute to all households within your chosen area. If you have a large area, you may well need help with this task.

The questionnaire contains 4 simple questions designed to assess the level of support for the scheme and to help you identify potential scheme Co-ordinators and other helpers.

You can download a copy of the questionnaire by clicking  below to open in Microsoft Word Format:

Questionnaire in PDF Format

(you need a Adobe Reader to open this document, click here and the adobe website will open up in a new window)

Step 4
Retrieve the Questionnaires

Between 3 and 7 days after  distribution, you should collect the questionnaires. Experience has shown that if you leave collection longer than one week, many of the questionnaires will have found their way into the bin!

Although you could ask residents to forward their completed questionnaires to you, you will find that personal collection generates a much more positive response and also allows you to talk to many of your neighbours who you may never have spoken to before.

In order to start a successful group, you really need a positive response from more than 40% of residents.

You should keep the completed questionnaires for your own records but inform the Neighbourhood Watch Development Officer of any names and addresses of people who showed an interest in becoming a Special Constable.

Step 5
Identify Potential Scheme Co-ordinators

The questionnaire responses will enable you to identify those who have volunteered to become scheme Co-ordinators or have offered to help in some other way.

Step 6
Mark a Map with the Group's Area

It is a good idea for the Group to have a map with the Group's area clearly marked. The map is useful for identifying Co-ordinators' areas and other points of interest.

Section 2

Step 7
Organise a Public Meeting

You should arrange a public meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce Neighbourhood Watch to residents and to allow Co-ordinators to introduce themselves. Although the Area Co-ordinator will run the meeting, a HANWaG representative (and hopefully a Police Officer) will be present to explain and answer questions on the Neighbourhood Watch concept and how it can benefit the community.

The meeting will ideally be held at a venue in or near to your area which is large enough to accommodate the number of residents you expect to attend. Schools, Community Centres, Village Halls and Pubs should all be considered (although where a meeting is to be held in a pub or club, a private room is preferable).

Careful consideration should be given to the date and time of the meeting in order to achieve maximum attendance: too early in the evening and those working residents may be unable to attend, too late in the evening and elderly residents may not attend. You may also wish to consider offering transportation or escorts to elderly or disabled community members.

Before finalising a date, you should contact your local HANWaG representative to ensure that they can attend. You can also contact your local Police Officer (or HANWaG can contact them on your behalf if you wish).

It's also a good idea to confirm in writing the booking of the venue.

Step 8
Order Meeting Invitations from HANWaG

To reduce your administrative burden, HANWaG can provide you with pre-printed meeting invitations which you can distribute to residents. You merely supply us with details of the date, place and time of the meeting together with contact details, and we will print the meeting invitations for you.

Step 9
Distribute Invitations

We recommend that you distribute meeting invitations to residents no less than one week prior to the meeting. You should attempt to include all members of the community including the elderly, ethnic minorities and teenagers; Neighbourhood Watch exists to serve us all.

Step 10
Order Starter Packs and Donation Envelopes from HANWaG

When the Neighbourhood Watch scheme is launched, every household will be provided with:

These items will be provided free of charge by HANWaG and the Area Co-ordinator should order these through their local HANWaG representative.

Step 11
Hold the Public Meeting

At the meeting, the HANWaG representative will introduce the Neighbourhood Watch concept to residents and the Police Officer will usually talk about local crime issues. The meeting is a good opportunity for residents to voice their concerns about local problems and issues may be identified which the Group can begin to address once the scheme is operating. If everyone is in agreement it is possible at this meeting for the Group to join HANWaG and go through the Problem Solving Process (see Step 19 for more information).

Step 12
Hold a Co-ordinators' Meeting

At the Co-ordinators' meeting, an Area Co-ordinator is formally appointed and also a Treasurer and Secretary if required. The Group's area is divided into clearly defined schemes Co-ordinators are appointed. If the Group want to access funding for projects than a constitution should be adopted (an outline constitution can be obtained from HANWaG on request).

Step 13
Distribute Starter Packs and Donation Envelopes

Co-ordinators distribute Starter Packs and donation envelopes to all households in the Group's area. These are often accompanied by a letter from the Area Co-ordinator introducing the Group (available from HANWaG on request).

Step 14
Collect Donation Envelopes

Co-ordinators collect donation envelopes from residents and all monies collected are recorded and banked by the Treasurer.

Section 3

Step 15
Open a Community Bank Account

It is strongly recommended that the Group opens a community bank account in order to properly account for all funds. All residents should be afforded the opportunity to inspect the account at any time. Most banking organisations offer free banking services for community accounts.

Step 16
Join HANWaG

There are many benefits of joining the 'HANWaG family'. Life-time membership costs just £10.00 and assures the Group of HANWaG's continued support.

For further details of HANWaG membership Click Here

Step 17
Identify Locations for Neighbourhood Watch Signs and Apply for Planning Permission

Neighbourhood Watch signs are normally erected on lamp posts and this requires planning permission from the Local Authority. Each individual lamp post must be identified and its identifying number recorded. Planning permission application forms are available from HANWaG.

Each individual lamppost must be identified and its identifying number recorded. Signs should not be purchased before planning permission has been granted, although we've never had a refusal yet! Where no suitable lamppost is available, signs may be exceptionally placed on wooden telegraph or electricity poles. Any Group wishing to place a sign on one of these poles should contact the HANWaG Hull Office for advice on how to seek permission from the relevant authority.

Step 18
Order & Erect Neighbourhood Watch SignsNeighbourhood Watch Sign

Once planning permission has been granted, Neighbourhood Watch signs are available from HANWaG at a cost of £10 per sign. Signs can be ordered via your local HANWaG Neighbourhood Watch Development Officer. The signs are easily attached to lamp posts by Group members using the supplied fixing bands. No special skills are required.

Step 19
Organise a Community Problem Solving Meeting

Having established the Group, it's effectiveness can be enhanced by devising an action plan which seeks to address local concerns on community safety issues. A problem solving process is used to formulate the action plan to address the most urgent issues the Group/community are concerned about and it enables the Group to identify partner agencies which can assist with the issues.

SUMMARY

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