Evaluation of the Outreach School Garden Project: building the capacity of two Indigenous remote school communities to integrate nutrition into the core school curriculum.

ISSUE ADDRESSED This paper describes the Outreach School Garden Project, which was conducted in two remote Indigenous school communities in north-west Queensland. This project integrated nutrition into the key learning areas of the core school curriculum by using a school-based garden as a nutritional education tool. METHODS Evaluation was by a descriptive qualitative approach supplemented by some quantitative data consistent with Indigenous research methods. The objectives were linked to the Health Promoting Schools Framework, using concepts of community capacity building, action research, social capital and experiential learning. RESULTS Nutrition was extensively integrated into the core school curriculum by the teaching staff, who required no specific nutrition knowledge or gardening skills prior to the implementation. Students' knowledge and skills in nutrition and gardening were increased over the six-month period and positive improvements in the physical and social environment at the school were observed. CONCLUSION A school-based nutrition garden enables the teaching and learning of basic nutrition through the core school curriculum. This concept was an innovative, practical nutritional education tool to engage and build the capacity of Indigenous students, school staff and the broader community in nutrition.