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Selecting educational programmes

There are many agencies and organisations who offer programmes for schools that are promoted to address specific crime and/or road safety issues.

Police have an Intervention assessment tool (Word, 548KB)  that provides a range of questions to be considered before the Police will support and endorse an external programme.

Schools should be critical about the relevance and quality of external programmes and providors. When collaborating with or engaging an agency that provides educational programmes to address specific crime and/or road safety issues (such as relationship violence, cycle safety, bullying, child abuse, road safety, cyberbullying), each school should consider the following questions:

  • What is the purpose of the agency’s programme or resource?
  • What is the nature of the programme or resource:
    • Is it relevant to New Zealand students and schools?
    • Is it inclusive?
    • Does it meet the needs and interests of the targeted group?
    • Are the aims and objectives of the programme clearly defined, and can they be evaluated?
  • Does the agency’s goal or philosophy align with the school’s safety culture? Does it support the school’s current teaching and learning programme and complement The New Zealand Curriculum?
  • Do the personnel have the knowledge and expertise to work within an educational setting?
  • Does the agency actively collaborate with relevant staff to adapt the programme to meet the needs of individuals or the school?
  • Is the material practical? Can it be previewed?
  • Does it have a cost and is it cost-effective? Who benefits from the purchase of these programmes – the students or the agency?
  • Is there evidence that the programme or provider is effective in influencing ongoing student behaviour?

For road safety in particular, the New Zealand Transport Agency has developed a set of road safety education guidelines. These guidelines provide useful questions to help schools ensure the efficacy of road safety education initiatives/interventions and programmes being offered to their school and community.

For alcohol and other drugs (AoD) in particular, the Ministry of Education's Alcohol and other drug education programmes: Guide for schools (2014) summarises the findings a  review of government-funded AoD education programmes for young people, and reflects additional thinking that boards of trustees, school leaders, and teachers may find useful to ask when selecting and implementing AoD education programmes.