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Map My

Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition

Map My, a web-based platform using participatory mapping and group model building approaches, is a collaboration between researchers, public health stakeholders and rural communities in Colac Otway Shire, Victoria and Tamworth Regional Council, New South Wales.

  • Participatory mapping involves the creation of maps by local communities to provide a visual interpretation of the local geography and key features related to healthy food access.
  • Group model building is a participatory workshop method that results in participants building a visual representation of the things that influence access to healthy food in rural communities and generating potential solutions.

Map My, will allow community members to use the software in their own home or in a convenient location. It is hoped this will remove barriers and increase participation for community members.

Challenge

Group model building is a proven way to bring a group of people together, in person or online, to gain a common understanding of a complex problem and generate potential solutions. As researchers who are focused on rural and remote communities and equity, we are acutely aware of the travel and distance burden for people to participate in group model building.

Solution

A web-based platform, Map My, will allow community members to use the internet to participate in a mapping process in their own home or at a convenient location.

Impact

This pilot will allow us to test, in real time, the potential impact of conducting participatory mapping without the barrier of bringing community members together as a group. Removing this barrier will provide a greater opportunity to gather information and move toward potential solutions for complex problems in a more equitable manner.

Partners

Colac Area Health

Colac Otway Shire

Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network

Tamworth Regional Council

University of Newcastle, Department of Rural Health

Links

November 2024 Map My newsletter

February 2025 Map My newsletter

In the media

Researchers hope to break down barriers to healthy eating in The Northern Daily Leader, Wednesday 24 July 2024

Leaders and experts talk healthy habits in the Colac Herald, Wednesday 14 August 2024

New tool is food for thought in the Colac Herald, Monday 24 February 2025

 

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