Te Whanau Cadillac--a waka for change.

Area of Science:

• Public Health Research
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Community action research enhances the link between research and public health practice.
• The Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit (APHRU) and Whariki partner with communities, valuing diverse contributions.
• Existing models often struggle to bridge the gap between research findings and practical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate a model for effective community-research partnerships in public health.
• To enhance community capacity in addressing youth alcohol and drug issues.
• To foster sustainable public health initiatives through collaborative action.

Main Methods:

• Partnership development with communities, emphasizing mutual respect and resource acknowledgment.
• Collaborative project focused on youth and drug issues in diverse rural and urban New Zealand communities.
• Community engagement to build capacity for addressing alcohol and drug challenges.

Main Results:

• A model for bridging the research-practice gap has been developed and applied.
• Enhanced community capacity to manage alcohol and drug issues observed.
• Initiation of sustainable interventions within participating communities.

Conclusions:

• Community action research, particularly with Indigenous partners like Whariki, is effective for public health.
• The APHRU/Whariki model successfully builds capacity and promotes sustainable solutions for youth substance use.
• Strengthened community-research partnerships lead to improved health and well-being outcomes.