Supporting Community-Driven Health Promotion: Insights From a National Best Practice Unit

This paper examines how the National Best Practice Unit Tackling Indigenous Smoking (NBPU TIS) supports program-funded organisations through collaboration, knowledge exchange and culturally responsive practice, and how these processes strengthen community-driven approaches to reducing smoking and vaping prevalence among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Six-monthly online surveys were conducted from December 2016 to November 2023 to assess satisfaction with NBPU TIS support. Responses were analysed across seven themes: Cultural Understanding, Shared Values, Contact, Collaborative Working, Sharing Best Practice, Training and Development and Monitoring and Evaluation.

Satisfaction was consistently high in Cultural Understanding (86%-97%) and Shared Values (86%-100%). Communication improved markedly, with agreement on regular, trustworthy contact rising from 60% to 100%. Positive trends were observed in Sharing Best Practice (59%-88%). Support for Training and Development and for Monitoring and Evaluation varied, with a decline noted in 2023 (42%).

NBPU TIS provides a collaborative environment that helps program-funded organisations embed culturally grounded, evidence-based practices. These findings emphasise the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, cultural knowledge and trust-based relationships in strengthening program delivery and continuous improvement.

Investing in best practice units can strengthen community-driven health promotion programs by enhancing organisational capacity, supporting culturally responsive strategies and promoting community empowerment to achieve sustainable impact.