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With a Healthy Focus grant, the Launceston Benevolent Society developed the FAB (Finance Attitudes and Behaviours) community program to increase food literacy, financial literacy and health literacy, decrease reliance on emergency food relief, and reduce takeaway food purchases.
The Launceston Benevolent Society delivered the program over 18 weeks to 25 community members in the northern suburbs. The health literacy component of the program was delivered in partnership with 26Ten, a network of organisations and individuals working together to improve adult literacy and numeracy in Tasmania.
The community members learned how to budget effectively for meals, read food labels and follow recipes. Many participants were unaware of the 26Ten program but have since joined for ongoing support.
FAB helped community members to be more aware of their food and movement choices, as well as remembering to take time for self-care. Some reported they were planning their budgets more carefully.
Participants learned about the potential risks of using financial short-term loan schemes (such as Zip pay) for health appointments and groceries, supporting them to make informed decisions about both their health and finances.
The program has also helped to bring people out of their comfort zones. Most participants didn’t know each other before joining the program, and have now formed new, ongoing friendships.
Some have signed up to volunteer at their local community centres – even those who used to prefer to stay at home.