The Banking on Health project, led by the Children and Young People Research Network at Oxford Brookes University, focuses on improving the nutritional health of local young people and their families.
Throughout Oxfordshire there are accessible food banks, charities and community groups dedicated to improving the food intake and nutritional status of the local population. Research has shown that interventions and education around nutrition have significant impact, and this is especially apparent when tailored to young people who are developing their dietary habits and relationships with food, and who are likely to continue their dietary patterns learnt at a young age into adulthood.
In this co-created project, we set out to provide long lasting knowledge exchange to local members of the community, specifically young people and their families who may be in the low socio-economic category, to provide engaging and interactive education on preparing nutritious, high-nutrient, and delicious recipes at a low cost. By doing so, the project aims to provide them with the basic knowledge of a low-cost, highly nutritious diet to ultimately improve health outcomes and therefore life chances.
The multi-stage project has been developed in collaboration with Good Food Oxfordshire as well as the Jericho Pantry and Oxfordshire Food Hub. Through working together to co-create initiatives to build knowledge of the importance of nutrition amongst young people by reaching out to local schools and other community outreach programmes, the collaboration aims to engage and empower young people themselves.
