Food community: Understanding community needs for a food security website to support rural and remote Western Australians.

OBJECTIVE: The South West Food Community (SWFC) project (2018) was implemented to identify initiatives working to enhance healthy food availability, access and use in the South West region of Western Australia (SWWA); and enhance how they functioned as a system. The SWFC project participants included government and community members. This study aimed to understand how a tailored food security website could be developed as a support mechanism to increase understanding of food security, connect participants and enhance the effectiveness of SWFC initiatives. METHODS: Initiative leaders from the SWFC project (n = 46) were invited to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews which sought to understand needs for a food security website. Fifteen stakeholders completed the interviews (32% response rate). Data relating to desirable and undesirable website components were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo 12. RESULTS: Participants requested the website to include concise content, food security resources, inviting/useful images and information about initiatives. Undesirable features included academic literature, difficult-to-use functions, discussion boards and hard-to-view images. CONCLUSION: A tailored, co-designed website that is monitored, user-friendly and functional were key stakeholder requirements. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: A tailored, co-designed food security website that promotes partnership development, builds networks, increases understanding and communication about food security and implementation strategies is needed.

South West Food Community: understanding systemic change, and its associated challenges and successes, among food security projects.

OBJECTIVE: The South West Food Community (SWFC) project (2018) aimed to identify initiatives working to support food security in the South West region of Western Australia, and to enhance how these initiatives functioned as a system. The SWFC project used a Systemic Innovation Lab approach that, prior to this study, had not been evaluated. This evaluation aimed to: i) measure system transitions (changes) to initiatives; and ii) understand the challenges and successes associated with system transitions. METHODS: SWFC initiative leaders (n=46) such as directors, managers or coordinators, volunteers or committee members were invited to participate in this evaluation. Fifteen stakeholders completed the telephone interviews (32% response rate). RESULTS: Twenty-five desirable changes in practice were observed. Challenge and success statements determined themes of 'participation' and 'bureaucracy'. Participation sub-themes included: limited time; poor initiative attendance; community support; organisational support; and effective partnerships. Bureaucracy sub-themes included: regulation or policy requirements; limited resources; and funding opportunities. CONCLUSION: The Australian-first SWFC project has the capacity to support region-to-region comparisons; this evaluation increases evidence for scaling to other regions. Implications for public health: This approach can be used to increase collaboration between initiatives, support resource-sharing between organisations and enhance policies (at local government level) to support food security.