Join a Community of Practice for road safety and transport professionals.
Auckland Transport is establishing a Community of Practice as a practical learning space for professionals who want to communicate about road safety in ways that build public understanding and support for Safe System action. The community will draw on research being prepared by Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw on evidence-based approaches to framing road safety conversations.
“Our technical knowledge in road safety is quite well developed. However, our implementation of these interventions has been constrained, and progress has been slow. One key reason is that our communication regarding road safety objectives and activities has not been as strong as it could be, which has often led to reduced support for beneficial change from communities and decision-makers.
“The community of practice will provide an important opportunity for participants to learn effective ways to improve communication and build understanding about road safety, thereby facilitating greater change,” said Blair Turner, global road safety expert and member of the How to Talk About Road Safety Advisory Group.
Who is it for?
- Road safety and transport professionals in New Zealand and Australia.
- People who want to strengthen how they explain Safe System, respond to concerns, and build understanding.
- Engineers, planners, policy advisors, people who work with communities, educators, enforcers, all road safety roles.
You do not need to be a communications specialist to take part. The community is designed for people whose work is about road safety or transport as we all contribute to how road safety is understood.
How will it work?
The Community of Practice will meet online, with sessions held every two months. Sessions may include short presentations, practical examples, small-group discussions, and practical “framing clinics”, where participants can bring questions for discussion.
What will you gain?
- Early insights from the “how to talk” about road safety research.
- Practical guidance on framing road safety in evidence-based ways.
- Examples and tools to help communicate that road harm is preventable.
- Opportunities to learn from advisory group members and peers.
- A supportive space to discuss real communication challenges and learn from others.
Sign up to the How to Talk About Road Safety Community of Practice. For more information, contact Delray Simpson, Senior Road Safety Coordinator at Auckland Transport: delray.simpson@at.govt.nz.
