Small beginnings, big impact: The PPDP Story
What began as a small pilot project working with just three Pasifika churches has grown into one of Australia’s largest community-led diabetes prevention initiatives, helping reshape how culturally responsive healthcare is delivered across Greater Western Sydney.
Supported by SPHERE funding in 2019, the Pasifika Preventing Diabetes Program (PPDP) has since expanded into a major partnership involving over 40 churches across Greater Western Sydney and South Eastern Sydney, secured more than $4.5 million in NHMRC and partner funding, supported numerous PhD and student research projects, and influenced the development of other culturally tailored health programs across New South Wales.
Led by Professor David Simmons, Professor Freya MacMillan and Mrs Ronda Thompson from Western Sydney University, the program was developed to address the disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes and its complications within Pasifika communities.
Research has shown Samoan people are seven times more likely to be hospitalised for diabetes-related complications than the general Australian population. Long working hours, financial pressures and a lack of culturally tailored healthcare have all contributed to poorer engagement with mainstream health services.
Backed by SPHERE’s Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolic Disease Clinical Theme, the program took a fundamentally different approach by embedding prevention directly within trusted community spaces.
“SPHERE’s support helped us build the strong community partnerships needed to grow the program beyond the pilot stage,” Professor Simmons said.
“It gave us the foundation to demonstrate impact, attract major NHMRC funding and expand the program across dozens of churches and communities.”
At the heart of the PPDP are Pasifika churches, which serve as important hubs of culture, faith and family life. Community activators work directly with church leaders and congregations to deliver culturally safe health screenings, peer support programs and healthy lifestyle support tailored to community needs.
Volunteer peer support facilitators are trained to encourage small, achievable lifestyle changes including healthier eating, increased physical activity and e.g. reducing sugary drink consumption. Churches involved in the program have already begun introducing healthier communal meals at gatherings and establishing health committees to continue the work long-term.
Like many community-based programs, PPDP faced major challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with implementation delayed by almost three years as churches focused on supporting their congregations through the crisis. Despite this, the program continued to grow and also played an important role in supporting COVID-19 vaccination efforts within Pasifika communities across South Western and Western Sydney.
The project’s impact has extended far beyond diabetes prevention alone. Expertise developed through PPDP has informed other culturally tailored health initiatives, including the development of an Arabic-speaking health program in South Western Sydney and revisions to Western Sydney Local Health District’s “2kg Challenge” program.
Importantly, SPHERE’s early support helped position the program for long-term sustainability and further investment. Alongside the NHMRC Partnership Grant, the project has attracted additional extension funding and community grants to support implementation and expansion.
The program has also generated significant research and workforce development opportunities, supporting completed and ongoing PhD projects, international Master of Public Health student placements and numerous undergraduate placements focused on Pasifika health and diabetes prevention.
Today, more than 1,100 participants have contributed health data through the program, with churches continuing to join across Sydney.
Professor Simmons said the program demonstrates the importance of community-led health initiatives.
“Working alongside churches and community leaders has allowed us to create a program that is trusted, culturally meaningful and sustainable,” he said.
“What we are seeing now is communities taking ownership of health and wellbeing in ways that can create lasting change for future generations.”
With the program continuing until 2027, the PPDP is now influencing healthcare delivery, research, workforce development and community wellbeing across New South Wales. SPHERE’s early support provided the foundation for the program to grow from a small church-based pilot into a large-scale initiative focused not only on reducing diabetes risk, but also strengthening health literacy, improving engagement with healthcare services and helping create healthier futures for Pasifika communities for generations to come.