Healthy Families NZ is a large-scale prevention initiative that brings community leadership together in a united effort for better health. It aims to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play by taking a systems approach to the reduction of risk factors for major health loss and inequity.
It is uniting local leadership and supporting communities to think differently about the underlying causes of poor health and to make changes in education settings, workplaces, food outlets, sports clubs, marae, businesses, places of worship, local governments, and more to create healthier environments for all.
In 2015 the Ministry of Health contracted Massey University to undertake the evaluation of Healthy Families NZ. The Summative Evaluation Report updates the findings of the national evaluation of Healthy Families NZ following the first three years of implementation of the initiative (from late 2014 to end of 2017).
The Summative Evaluation Report shows that Healthy Families NZ continues to be implemented with integrity to its intention and purpose across locations. The approach of Healthy Families NZ aligns to international evidence that shows systems based approaches are becoming increasingly common as the evidence of the need for explicit ‘whole system’ responses to these challenges is becoming clearer.
Appendix One of the Summative Evaluation Report gives examples of the types of action being taken by the Healthy Families NZ locations to support communities to think differently about the underlying causes of poor health, and to make changes in key settings within their communities where they live, learn, work and play, creating healthier environments for all.