The Healthy Families NZ Summative Evaluation Report, led by Dr Anna Matheson, senior lecturer in health policy at Te Kura Tātai Hauora—The School of Health, in partnership with Nan Wehipeihana (Weaving Insights), was published today by Te Whatu-Ora—Health New Zealand. The report describes the main findings of an evaluation carried out a by a cross-institutional research team.

Healthy Families NZ is a place-based community prevention initiative that focuses on creating healthy, more equitable communities. Running since 2014, it aims to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work, and play by taking a ‘systems change’ approach to preventing chronic disease. The approach recognises that communities are best placed to understand and prioritise their own health and wellbeing.

This report focuses on the last four years of the initiative, and on 10 teams across nine regions: Far North, Waitākere, South Auckland, East Cape, Rotorua, Whanganui Rangitīkei Ruapehu, Hutt Valley, Christchurch, and Invercargill. The teams are located within a variety of local organisations including sports trusts, Māori and Pacific providers, and other social change agencies.

Dr Matheson says the evaluation shows the Healthy Families NZ teams are making healthy changes in their communities by improving local food systems, creating more humane urban environments, and reconnecting communities with local histories and their natural environments.

“The teams have been contributing to what is already going on in their communities, making tangible changes to policies, settings and environments,” she says.

“We know that the conditions people live in have a substantial impact on their health and wellbeing, yet we don’t invest nearly enough in effective approaches that can ensure everyone in Aotearoa lives in healthy conditions. Healthy Families NZ is showing we can do things differently, and that change to our health, social and economic systems can be locally led and prioritise people, communities, and our natural environments.”

Key findings show the Healthy Families NZ teams are successfully leveraging relationships and funding in innovative ways and are shifting power to communities through the tools and methods they use, which enables communities to assert more ownership, voice, and influence on issues that affect them.

The intentional focus on Māori and Pacific health and equity has proven to be a real strength, with teams widely practicing kaupapa Māori and drawing on mātauranga Māori, ensuring solutions are relevant to people and their lived experiences, and taking into account holistic understandings of health.

The initiative is also contributing to a growing momentum for system-change practice – creating and supporting opportunities to improve health and wellbeing through local government and other locally-significant organisations.

Overall, the initiative shows the potential for making local environments healthier through equipping communities with resources, knowledge, evidence, tools, and decision-making influence, Dr Matheson says.

“Healthy Families NZ is delivering significant value for money as a pioneering initiative for strengthening the prevention system, which could have cost savings for the health system in the long run. But lessons from the evaluation show there is a wider need for greater attention and investment in growing health and wellbeing from within our local communities.”

The Summative Evaluation Report was commissioned by Te Whatu Ora and led by Te Kura Tātai Hauora—School of Health at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. The report is available on the Healthy Families NZ website.