
Healthy Families NZ takes a systems approach to enable and support communities to live healthy, active lives aiming to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play.
Our proven prevention initiative has been addressing the underlying conditions that impact health and wellbeing, for a decade now and is already operating in ways that Pae Ora is seeking to achieve.
The design of Healthy Families NZ contributes to the Government Policy Statement on Health by focusing efforts and improving the five modifiable behavioural risk factors. This is achieved through greater access and availability of healthy food, increased levels of physical activity, living smokefree, reducing the harm caused by alcohol and improved mental health. By building healthier communities and people, we can prevent chronic disease.
Prevention initiatives, like Healthy Families NZ are designed to keep people healthy, thus reducing the burden of chronic disease on the health system. Evidence clearly shows that prevention is the best value-for-money investment in health[1].
Through a collaborative approach, bringing together cross-sector agencies, lead providers, local leaders, iwi and communities, the Healthy Families NZ location teams are identifying opportunities for change and implementing solutions in their regions that support people to make healthier choices.
Our location teams continue to generate community-informed and collective impact, some recent examples include:
The establishment of the Taikorihi Rangatahi Leadership Group, a by rangatahi for rangatahi movement designing local solutions to improved mental health and wellbeing in Whanganui.
Scaling a transformative food system initiative change in South Auckland communities through a new collaboration between the Food Hub Collective and I Am Māngere with the aim of creating a community food hub within the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu area.
A recently released report ‘Nau mai te ora’ which uncovers key themes and insights based on whānau lived realities and experiences of health and wellbeing in the mid-North, with the intention to act as a catalyst for inclusive and collaborative conversations on hauora.
As we reflect on the impact of health prevention initiatives, it is clear that our collective efforts can create positive, lasting change. By prioritising and recognising that communities are best placed to understand and generate action on their own health and wellbeing, we pave the way for a healthier future. A future where preventable chronic disease becomes a rarity rather than a norm.
Together, we hold the power to transform lives and build resilient communities, reminding us that investing in health prevention today, is the key to a thriving tomorrow.
[1] National Prevention Council (2011) National Prevention Strategy. In hhs.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/disease-prevention-wellness-report.pdf