Healthy Kids Advisors Initiative
From July 2021 to June 2024, The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation proudly delivered the Healthy Kids Advisors initiative on behalf of the Victorian Government.
The initiative has helped young Victorians access and enjoy the nourishing foods and drinks they deserve in the places they learn and play, engaging over 62,000 young people in over 450 youth settings.
The Foundation has over 20 years of experience delivering the Kitchen Garden Program and co-creating food education experiences that foster long-term engagement and sustainable change in school settings. The Healthy Kids Advisors initiative presented an innovative, bold, new approach to public health which significantly exceeded impact expectations in supporting children and young people to lead healthy lives and generating local community momentum for change.
Priority communities
Leaning on the Foundation’s pleasurable food education philosophy to support each community’s unique healthy eating goals and encourage participation in the state-wide Vic Kids Eat Well movement, our place-based workforce of local Healthy Kids Advisors were active in 13 Victorian communities:
Our Advisors
Each Advisor, based locally, understood their community's needs. They brought together locals and existing efforts to boost healthy, fresh and delicious food and drink options in the places where families gather:
- schools
- outside school hours care
- sports clubs, and
- community or council operated facilities.
Healthy Kids Advisors connected these schools and organisations to existing community resources, local opportunities and offered free, tailored guidance on reaching their unique healthy food and drink goals.
Along the way, they guided these organisations through the Vic Kids Eat Well movement, providing hands-on support to take simple, achievable steps and healthy swaps that make a big impact. Vic Kids Eat Well is supported by the Victorian Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria’s Achievement Program, and Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service.
After three incredibly impactful years, the Healthy Kids Advisors initiative concluded in 2024
The Healthy Kids Advisors initiative was funded until June 2024. Our Advisors worked hard to pass on their valuable insights, skills and knowledge to local community leaders, who have always actively supported the wellbeing of their young people and who will continue to carry the torch of this important movement forward.
- Read more about the collective effort and impact of the Healthy Kids Advisors initiative.
- Visit the Healthy Kids Advisors news page.
- Read the Healthy Kids Advisors initiative 2021–2024 Impact Report.
Community place-based projects
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation works alongside community partners to address local health priorities for children and young people.
Drawing on over 20 years of deep expertise, we develop and implement customised, place-based projects driven by fresh, seasonal, delicious food. Get in touch for more details on how we support community our partners to achieve the changes they want to see in the places where children and young people spend their time.
Header photo courtesy Calai Creative.
