Simple 2 Start: Work Placements

We are looking for student volunteer candidates to assist us in designing out crime, in partnership with GMAC (Greater Manchester Against Crime - www.gmac.org.uk). Candidates will have strong 3d modelling skills (Sketchup and rendering software packages, for example), and will find this 10-week placement a fantastic learning opportunity. Further details can be found below, and downloaded in pdf format here.

The role of Design for Security

Design for security is an award winning and innovative risk consultancy based within Greater Manchester Police. The team are design professionals with academic backgrounds in planning, architecture and design and are police trained to offer creative risk based crime prevention solutions e.g. the production of reports which include 3d graphic images produced in house. Understanding that the team have a responsibility to the safety and well-being of those who reside in our communities the Design for Security team’s overarching objective is to reduce crime, helping develop great places and safer communities, by interacting with local authorities, RSL's, design/construction professionals, partners such as Greater Manchester Against Crime (GMAC), the NHS, and the GM Fire Service.

To date Design for Security have reduced the demand on police resources, and contributed to a significant reduction in crime. This is achieved by ensuring new developments demonstrate a risk commensurate design both in terms of layout and specification, and in more sensitive respects such as terrorism mitigation.

The Project:

  • Simple2Respond - 3D Problem Solving initiative across Greater Manchester
  • Working with Design for Security
  • An invaluable experience for you and for us
  • Often work experience is marred with images of tea-making and filing, but it is not the case in this instance….

The Challenge

Reducing the levels of repeat crime in individual streets or to individual victims provides one of the greatest opportunities for crime reduction. The Simple2start methodology starts by highlighting the number of streets which host 20% of the crime in an area. The potential crime reduction is significant at this point, but levels at which action is taken may change by negotiation with each senior manager dependant on resources available and the number of streets this represents. In a recent review of a crime type, by tackling 6% of locations there is a potential reduction of nearly a quarter of all reported incidents - simply by focusing additional attention on locations where there is reporting of four or more incidents during a 12 month period. We are looking for your design input and ideally you will have an ability to think outside the box and provide creative design-led crime prevention solutions We would like your input to work on 10 schemes across Greater Manchester. The project that will be ran in conjunction with Greater Manchester Against Crime starting the beginning of January for approx. 10 weeks This will involve you visiting problem areas/sites with members of the team, and other partner agencies, using your 3D modelling skills we would ask that you draw up computer models of the sites visited in order to demonstrate to Community Safety Groups potential solutions, and using your design imagination to put forward innovative design thoughts.

The Benefits

In terms of benefits to you the student, you are given the opportunity to experience first hand what it is like to work in a busy design office in order for you to develop the necessary skills required, and you will also be able to seek advice from experts in the field. You will work alongside the design team here at Design for Security. This is an invaluable voluntary work placement and unique experience, as you will be working alongside many partner agencies including Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue, Local Authorities.

Contact Details

If you feel that you would like to work with us please contact Susan Walker Acting Head of Design for Security, attaching your CV and if possible attach PDF examples of your work:

info@designforsecurity.org
0161 856 5912

To download this article in pdf format, please click here.