Wairarapa Smokefree Cars

Wairarapa Smokefree Cars

Wellington
Public Support
Second-hand smoke
Smokefree cars
Smokefree environments
World Smokefree Day
Co-ordinator: 
Name: 
Wai Quayle
Telephone: 
06 3700818

Goals and objectives

  • To encourage drivers and residents in the Wairarapa to make their homes and cars smokefree – especially when children are passengers
  • To design a local bumper sticker with a short simple message
  • To visit four local sites that have a high foot traffic and are situated in a low social economic area
  • Participants to put stickers on cars immediately, given a smokefree car information pack, which makes them eligible to go in a draw to win prizes
  • Wairarapa Smokefree Network to create a visual display at each site promoting Smokefree 2025, general and second-hand smoke information
  • Advertising through local media and radio.

Key outcomes

Some aspects of the project plan differed from the proposed plan –after discussion with the team and other whānau members, many did not want to use the bumper stickers but felt that sun shades would be better. The timeframe would change to 31 May 2015 rather than the 15 May. Two hundred sunshades were ordered for this project but we received 50 extras with the same number coming from the Wairarapa DHB Smokefree coordinator. This totalled 500 sunshades to go towards our promotion and lead up to World Smokefree Day on 31 May.

We asked the local fire brigade to help with special effects showing children in a smoke filled car wearing  masks- photos of these were taken and posters made up to put up on static displays at sites and on the car with all .

Advertising was completed through our local paper and over the Media-Works radio station these will continue to the end of the month.

Our promotion commenced on 4 May and concluded on 31 May and encouraged drivers and residents in the Wairarapa to make their homes and cars and smokefree – especially when children are passengers. Drivers and residents were encouraged to collect a smokefree pack and information on how to join the promotion, then to take a selfie, upload onto Facebook and to challenge other whānau to come into Whaiora or Media-Works, the local radio station to do the same.

Sites identified were:

  • 7/5/15 – Smokefree Mums Morning held at REAP education centre - celebrating recent Quit and being smokefree, Launch of Smokefree Cars promo and Smokefree Pregnancy - approximately  30 attendees young mums and partners, nine Māori mothers – mothers got pampered and photos taken - great launch
  • 8/5/15 CBD – Walkway - 50 packs given out in approximately two hour session. Lots of interest in the promotion and wanting to quit.
  • 9/5/15 - Netball Courts – 110 people spoken to and given packs – two persons referred to Aukati Kai Paipa for cessation support
  • 17/5/15 Pioneer Rugby 50 –promotion to the Pioneer Rugby Club
  • Whaiora – Static display promoting the project  - VLC medical practice where all low socio people with high needs are enrolled – great feedback on the promotion
  • Kōhanga reo - 90 packs given out to three Kōhanga reo– all very receptive with one wanting to talk about becoming totally smokefree
  • Kura (30) – again like the Kōhanga reo lots of interest in the promotion and wanting to make their cars and homes smokefree.

Key learnings

The promotion was very successful.  Seeing all the cars with the shades being displayed is awesome and we got positive feedback about the advertising, posters, and radio messages.

What could had done differently:

Have a plan, plan early, don’t make changes, take photos, stick to time-frame, be more accountable through meetings with other groups and organising events together, and celebrating success

Other successes:

  • Great collaboration with the DHB Coordinator, regional public health staff and whaiora all working together to make this successful.

Problems encountered:

  • Change of team leader/manager during this period created problems as a complete handover of the promotion did not take place. This resulted in unfamiliarity of the contract, what was expected etc, and this slowed the process. Team did not take the initiative to get on to the project earlier and waited till last minute to get this completed.
  • The uptake to facebook has been slow. 

Additional material

Photos:

Page last updated: 30 Mar 2016