Healthy Together Program Evaluation (Phase 3)

The purpose of the Phase 3 scale up project is to expand the reach and impact of Healthy Together (HT), by supporting the integration of the HT program into core services of organizations serving children (up to 18 years) and families, particularly those from under-served populations across diverse communities and settings in Canada. The HT program offers a flexible, effective, integrated approach, relevant to multiple contexts, creating potential to become a sustainable approach to promoting healthier weights in Canadian children. The objectives of the evaluation for Phase 3 are to:

• Describe the effectiveness of the HT program in relation to knowledge, attitude and behavior change at the individual, family, and community level.
• Monitor quality and sustainability of HT, when offered as part of core service by organizations to meet diverse community needs and cultural contexts.
• Create an effective knowledge mobilization framework to increase practice and policy influence of HT, in collaboration with regional, provincial and national networks.

Community partner organizations with capacity and infrastructure to implement the HT program are eligible to be implementation sites. Priority is given to community organizations serving Indigenous, immigrants/refugees, low income/low literacy groups, and families residing in rural communities. All sites will be required to integrate HT into their existing services.

Inclusion criteria

for each participant group are as follows:

Families: HT is designed for children (up to 18 years of age) and families. Children and families participating in programs offered by the partner organizations are eligible to attend HT. All interested families will be able to access the program regardless of their previous knowledge or skill level. Participants do not have to be overweight/obese to participate in sessions.

HT Facilitators: Staff members who are identified by the partner organizations, trained to implement the HT program and directly involved in HT program delivery will be eligible to participate in the evaluation.

Directors of Partner Organizations: Partner organizations will be asked to identify a director (supervisor) that has administrative responsibility for overseeing the delivery of services for children/families that includes the HT program.

National Advisory Committee (NAC): Members of the National Advisory Committee established by The Bridge Youth and Family Service Society for Phase 3 of this project.

Exclusion criteria

Family members who have not participated in any of the HT sessions offered as part of on-going services provided by the partner organization.