In remote South Australia, Roxby Council is ensuring its residents stay informed about healthy food choices.
Council has successfully partnered with UnitingCare Wesley Country SA and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Healthy Living Program to deliver the Community Foodies program to Roxby Downs.
The remoteness and isolation of Roxby Downs often means missing out on programs like Community Foodies but this new model has been an effective way of delivering the program locally.
A refurbished Community Youth Centre with a large commercial grade kitchen and a vibrant multicultural group were some of the key reasons why Community Projects Officer Sasha Yantewo thought the Foodies program would work so well.
Sasha said she thought, “My local knowledge and community focus would support the program and assist with its longevity in the town”.
The Community Foodies program is aimed at empowering individuals and groups to make healthier food choices. The Foodies will become ‘agents of change’ in their community.
Once all parties were in agreement the Roxby Community Foodies Program held an information session, with 18 interested participants registering for a seven-week course.
Workshops were held over two groups (one in the morning, one in the evening) and were a mix of theory and hands-on cooking in the kitchen.
Topics included safe knife skills with a local Chef, food safety with an Environmental Health Officer, as well as covering the key health messages of the program with a Dietician.
Before graduating from the program, each participant gave a presentation on a topic of their choice from an area of the program.
The presentations allowed participants to share their personal life experience and passions with the group.
Graduates shone with confidence while giving their final presentations armed with new knowledge about living a healthy lifestyle.
The success of the Community Foodies Program was showcased when two of the graduates held an engaging demonstration at a local school about the hidden sugar content in popular drinks. (The children and the parents loved it!)
The Roxby Community Foodies are now available to partner with local organisations and groups to help promote better food choices.
The cost effectiveness of the Program as well as the many positive benefits for the participants and Roxby Council has meant that more expressions of interest are being sought for another round later in 2016.
