Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Food Security Project

Food insecurity is largely experienced by Australian Indigenous populations and low income families. Their was an expressed increased demand on Healesville Indigenous foodbank and MMIGP resources to provide food to meet food intake for this population group in the Yarra Ranges and Maroondah Shire area.

A particular emphasis was given on ensuring that children, young families and youth were prime population group for health promotion initiatives within the project for on-going lifestyle change.

Interventions included:

• To partner with the Outer East Primary Care Partnership to conduct a food security needs assessment of the Indigenous community in Outer Eastern Melbourne.
• Education on cooking skills and healthy eating on a budget provided through two methods: delivery of OzChild program with the “Men’s exercise group”. Healesville Oonah student curriculum which resulted in achieving food safety certificates, research projects linking diet and disease, in-class nutrition related activities, bush tucker walk with local elder, healthier food provision at school and 2 x community lunches delivered by the students.
• To support the Indigenous food bank and community garden in Healesville and MMIGP with financial assistance (resources included specifically designed trailer) and with skill development for participants/agencies.
• Build the capacity of Indigenous focused local agencies to understand food security issues and to recognise their role in enhancing food access. An Indigenous specific nutrition resource folder were established from nation wide sourcing of information on diet related disease’s and nutrition interventions for our target community. This folder along with informal education by the Dietitian were used by the Indigenous Health Team and Nutrition Team within YVCH for clients.

Organisations: Outer East Primary Care Partnership, Yarra Valley Community Health, MMIGP, EACH, Oonah Swinburne Pathways Program, DHS and Healesville Indigenous Foodbank representatives.

Date: June - December 2008