{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,21]],"date-time":"2026-05-21T03:02:04Z","timestamp":1779332524515,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,30]],"date-time":"2025-03-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1743292800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001505","name":"Health Research Council of New Zealand","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["23\/638"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["23\/638"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001505","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001505","name":"Health Research Council of New Zealand","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["411466"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["411466"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001505","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Health Strategic Research Grant","award":["23\/638"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["23\/638"]}]},{"name":"Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Health Strategic Research Grant","award":["411466"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["411466"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: WELLfed is a community-based adult education programme focused on improving food literacy, with a stated aim to \u201cnourish communities through food and connections\u201d, in a low-income community in Aotearoa New Zealand. Adult learners are taught food preparation and cooking skills in weekly interactive sessions. Here, we describe two pilot phases of a three-phase evaluation. Methods: Our overall aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the WELLfed programme. Phase 1, in keeping with the co-design approach of WELLfed, co-designed outcome measures through five focus groups (n = 20) involving a wide range of stakeholders. Phase 2 developed and refined a survey based on these co-designed measures. The survey was administered to WELLfed learners at baseline (n = 15) and again towards the end of their programme (follow-up n = 12). Wilcoxon rank sum tests of significance were performed, restricted to participants with both baseline and follow-up data. Results: Five domains of importance identified in Phase 1 were as follows: (i) engagement support, (ii) food knowledge and skills, (iii) personal development, (iv) relationship transformation, and (v) community flourishing. Phase 2 findings include increased comfort level at engagement (p = 0.063). Food knowledge and preparation skills improved on a range of factors. All metrics of self-confidence and self-efficacy increased, with the greatest change being the ability to find support in times of crisis. Self-reported excellent or very good health increased (p = 0.050). Fewer people reported food running out due to a lack of money (p = 0.016) or eating less because of a lack of money (p = 0.008). Conclusions: The pilot study shows the effectiveness of the WELLfed programme for improving food knowledge and skills, reducing food insecurity, and improving health outcomes. Further research with a larger sample size is required to confirm these pilot results.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22040526","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,31]],"date-time":"2025-03-31T05:21:04Z","timestamp":1743398464000},"page":"526","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["A Pilot Evaluation of WELLfed, a Community-Based Adult Education Intervention"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-6832-3638","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kahurangi Jean","family":"Dey","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora|Health Services Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"},{"name":"Te Kura T\u0101tai Hauora|School of Health, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kankshita","family":"Dewan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora|Health Services Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"},{"name":"Te Kura T\u0101tai Hauora|School of Health, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kim","family":"Murray","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"WELLfed, Porirua 5024, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Donna","family":"Hiroki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora|Health Services Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"},{"name":"WELLfed, Porirua 5024, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2617-0361","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mona","family":"Jeffreys","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora|Health Services Research Centre, Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6011, New Zealand"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025, February 09). 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