
Newham ‘We Are Food Secure 11-19 project’
The challenge of food insecurity has received increasing attention in recent years, and children are more likely than adults to be in food insecure households. Newham’s ‘We Are Food Secure 11-19’ project set out to find out more specifically about the experiences of young people, who sometimes receive less attention than other age groups, and to tailor interventions specially for them.
Funded by the Health Foundation in partnership with the Local Government Association, the project formed part of the wider Shaping Places for Healthier Lives programme. It was one of five projects taking a complex system change approach to tackling difficult public health issues.
Over the three year project we developed complex system maps to improve our understanding of the drivers, held many discussions with stakeholders and young people, and built and tested new interventions based in secondary schools and youth centres.
Find the wide range of resources from the project below including a one page summary, overall project report, key messages from young people and five background briefings.
AYPH continues to work with Newham to develop the model further. If you would like to know more about the project or our ongoing work in this area, contact info@ayph.org.uk
Resources
Overall project report
Young people’s perspectives on food and food security
One page summary
1. Financial pressures, incentives and counter-incentives shaping food provision in secondary schools
2. Coverage of food-related topics within secondary school curricula
3. The role of food growing in secondary schools in improving food security
4. Tackling food insecurity in youth work settings
5. Policy contexts for food insecurity and young people
Blog - Early learning from our work
(Feb 2023)
Blog - Food in secondary schools
(May 2023)
Blog - Schools as food havens
(Nov 2023)
Blog - Food and the youth sector
(April 2024)
Blog - Food Active
(Dec 2024)
LGA Public Health Case Study about the project
Taking a systems approach – learning from the SPHL funding programme
Project partners: The project was a partnership between the London Borough of Newham’s public health department, the Association for Young People’s Health, and Cordis Bright, who together formed the project management team. Many other organisations and people played a significant role in the work and we are very grateful to them all for their contribution.


