Framework - Food Possibilities

Food Possibilities Framework

Catalyze ideas and deliver integrated implementation plans with value, unlocking the full potential of food to improve people and planetary health.

Co-Created Framework

Central to the Food Possibilities Framework is the creation of positive food-based learning experiences and food environments across school and community settings. These are co-created with, and delivered by, newly connected individuals who form a Food Possibilities team. A team is established for each locally-delivered initiative. A people-centred, design thinking approach is taken to support the co-creation of an implementation plan that meets the needs of the target audience. Fun, food-based, interactive learning experiences which build real-life connections for participants are key as these elements reflect the .

Existing resources and practices within each Food Possibilities team, relevant to the needs of the target audience, are identified and integrated into a co-developed implementation plan. Novel, collaborative opportunities to further develop existing resources and practices are also identified. This ensures the strategic, efficient and collective delivery of positive food-based learning experiences and food environments. The impact of this approach is carefully monitored & evaluated through use of existing and inclusion of new data collection practices.

The Food Possibilities Framework provides a structured mechanism that facilitates needs-based collective action with strong governance and high-level monitoring and evaluation inbuilt. The framework incorporates the existing and developing evidence base from the food, nutrition and behavioural science disciplines, the knowledge and wisdom that comes from the grounded experiences of those working within the public and community sectors and the lived experiences of those experiencing social disadvantage. This impactful approach is informed, collective and experiential.

a user-centred, design-thinking approach to co-design & integrated delivery

A short series of facilitated training workshops, using design thinking principles, support the re-imagination of new collective solutions to key challenges identified in each Food Possibilities Initiative. A diverse set of stakeholders, with a wide representation of points of view, interested in the same challenge are connected and form a local Food Possibilities Team

How might we create positive food experiences helping improve people and planetary health?

Participants work in teams in energetic hands-on workshops. The purpose of these workshops is to create a unique, information sharing, relationship building opportunity. They encourage all the participants to experience the value of working together and the potential power of collaboration to tackle a wellbeing challenge they have identified. The workshops create an opportunity to understand how everyone currently interacts with the challenge and create awareness and value of each participant’s own tacit knowledge and agency and how these can be connected to address the challenge.

Participants are introduced to the design thinking methodology. Design thinking is a five-stage process which provides a solution based approach to solving problems. During the set of workshops, the focus is on the early stages of the process – Empathy, Defining the Problem and Ideation.

1. Empathise

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Understand the human needs involved in the problem and build a clearer understanding of users needs by sharing insights gathered

2. Define the problem

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Analyse the insights and observations, identify core themes that are emerging and then define the core problems that the team agree

3. Ideate:

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Teams start generating ideas and find alternative ways to view the problem. This stage involves divergent and convergent thinking. Teams are encouraged to consider “wild “ ideas and then find the best ways to either solve or “get around” the problem.