The Rural Health Education Foundation filmed the café operating at Community House last week, for a documentary that will be screened on SBS in the new year and indigenous television programs in November.

Community House manager Anita Taylor said the healthy eating program, which had been running for about five years, was chosen for filming because of its success.

“It’s been such a successful project, the kids enjoy cooking and serving it up to their families and elders, and people know it’s a safe place to come to,” she said.

Port Lincoln Health Services’ Michael Manders said the Rural Health Education Foundation first heard about the Nunga Kids Café when the program was presented by Mr Manders and Aboriginal Health worker Jeremy Coaby at a national rural health conference in Alice Springs in March, 2005.

“The Nunga Kids Café was developed by Port Lincoln Health Services, Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Services and Port Lincoln Primary School, and is run at Port Lincoln Community House,” he said.

“This year the program has been expanded to include the Kirton Point Primary School.”

Rural Health Education Foundation senior project manager Maurie O’Connor said the café would be part of the upcoming Stay Strong television feature, a continuation of the “Strong” series which had already broadcast Start Strong and Grow Strong.

Filming would produce two programs, one to be screened on the rural health satellite television network in November, and a half-hour documentary proposed to be screened on national indigenous television and SBS in the new year.

The programs would also be made into a DVD that would be available for health professionals and anyone interested.

He said the local case study would look at the joint approach taken through the Nunga Kids Café by the primary school, health service and aboriginal health service to address the challenges of supporting families in making healthy food and lifestyle choices.