This report summarises the findings from the first year of the Healthy Futures evaluation of the Ministry of Health’s Fruit in Schools (FiS) initiative. This report draws together the perspectives of key stakeholders to inform policy and practice, and contribute to the ongoing development of FiS.
Healthy Futures is a multi-method longitudinal study which incorporates aspects of formative (supporting improvements to an initiative), process (describing or documenting activities that happen as part of an initiative), and impact (making judgements about the results of an initiative) evaluation. The initial emphasis (2005 and 2006) is on process and formative evaluation so that information can be generated to assist stakeholders to improve FIS. As the evaluation continued, emphasis moved to a deeper consideration of impacts, good practice, and sustainability. Healthy Futures draws on a realist approach to evaluation, combining qualitative and quantitative data to explore the nature and context of change. It blends health and educational methods, and draws on understandings from the literature from both areas.
Purpose
The evaluation explores three key questions:
- What are the factors that support and hinder the implementation of FIS, and are likely to impact on its longer term sustainability?
- What changes are occurring within schools and to professional practice in regard to school approaches to health and wellbeing?
- What changes are occurring in students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in regard to the four health areas?