Acknowledgements 

This training package is an Early Childhood - Invest to Grow initiative, funded by the Australian Government under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. These materials have been developed based on the findings of ASeTTS' Good Food for New Arrivals (GFNA) project.

Many thanks to Ms Natalie Vicca, previous Project Manager, for undertaking the development and trial of food and nutrition workshop processes that emphasise and promote the development of cultural competencies.

Special mention must be made of the many individual refugees, their families and communities, bicultural and bilingual workers, who have participated in training workshops, food and nutrition sessions, and group discussions, shared their personal knowledge, experiences and stories and have provided feedback on the development of culturally appropriate materials and resources.These training materials are the result of their insight and feedback on food and nutrition issues impacting on new arrivals to Australia, and focus on the development of cultural competencies by those who use them.

Other key contributors have included:

  • Ms Maria Osman and Ms Glenda Trevaskis, ASeTTS
  • Dr Marie Martin, Learning Conversations
  • Current and past members of the GFNA Reference Committee

Since its earlier inception, GFNA has networked with a range of service providers, organisations, community groups and individuals to undertake rigorous consultation and networking processes. This has resulted in a range of  credible, evidence based nutrition education materials and resources for new arrivals to Australia being produced. Our thanks are extended in particular to:

  • Adult Migrant English Service , Swan TAFE
  • Afghan, Burundi, Congolese, Ethiopian, Rwandan, Somali and South Sudanese community members
  • Catholic Migrant Centre
  • Curtin University
  • Edith Cowan University
  • Granny Spiers House
  • Ishar, Multicultural Women's Health Centre
  • Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre
  • Muslim Women's Support Group
  • Multicultural Services Centre (formerly North Perth Migrant Resource Centre)
  • South Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre
  • The Gowrie
  • WA Council of Social Service (WACOSS)
  • WA Department of Health, in particular Community Health Nursing staff and Nutritionists
  • Womens Health Services

for their ongoing participation and contribution to this process.

The GFNA project began in 2001 with funding from the then Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing's National Child Nutrition Programme. Dr. Danielle Gallegos and Ms. Pernilla Ellies are acknowledged as the original "nutrition champions" of the project's development. Throughout its development,  GFNA has embraced a community participatory approach in the development of nutrition resources designed for a range of health, welfare and education settings.